An Ordinary Reckoning
by Natchez
Summary: The sequel to "Ordinary Loneliness" at last! Damon and Lindsey work with some unlikely associates to end the Augustines' reign of terror once and for all. Fasten your seatbelts!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: YES! The long-awaited sequel to "Ordinary Loneliness"! It's about 75 percent complete, so the updates will come quickly for a while, at least. I've started a brand new job in the last week, so once I run out of pre-written chapters, I may update only on weekends. We'll see.**

 **As the summary says, Damon and Lindsey work to get rid of the Augustines, once and for all. It is going to get very dark in places, but I hope you all enjoy it. Many of our friends will return from "OL," and a few new ones will also pop up, so get ready for some surprises! One thing you'll see in the story is how a real reporter goes about getting a big story. The methods Lindsey uses to get information are the same ones reporters use every day.**

 **So, get ready for lots of adventure, mystery, and of course, romance. It's me writing this, after all, right? LOL. So the curtain rises. Read, enjoy and REVIEW! Much love to all of you!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Only the Beginning**

 **March 2016**

"You really don't have to be that careful, you know. Not like you're ever gonna have a cavity," Damon teased Lindsey, who was brushing her teeth.

She glared at him and rinsed her mouth out. "Still. It's a good habit to keep."

"Like I don't brush my teeth," Damon said, his tone a little snippy.

"Never implied it, oh touchy one." She saw his expression. He looked perturbed - and not nearly as much upset her husband these days. Living in the country, away from supernaturals as well as humans, was good for him. "What's up, hon? You look irritated."

"Just got off the phone with Stefan."

"You two had better not be arguing again," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "No, it's not that." He went into the bedroom and flopped on the bed, an arm over his eyes. "It's that supernatural cesspool, Mystic Falls."

Lindsey reclined on the bed too, turned to face him, head propped up on her hand. "What more could possibly go wrong in that town? It's like that place in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' - you know, a hell mouth."

Damon chuckled. "Exactly. And I'm not really sure what he expects me to do about it."

"Maybe he just needed to talk to a sympathetic listener - someone who understands the background."

"It would do him and Caroline a world of good if they would just leave."

Lindsey sighed. "Well, Mystic Falls is their home, Damon. You've put down roots here, so this is home for you, but that boarding house is the closest thing Stefan's had to home for 150 years. It's Caroline's home, too. She was raised there. It's tough to leave."

Damon ran his hand up and down her arm. "You're right. As usual. But this is a little different. Rebekah and Kol have been seen tooling around town."

"Originals, right?"

"Yeah. And Kol is the worst one, except for Klaus." Lindsey narrowed her eyes at the mention of that name. "I know. I hate him, too. But Klaus usually has a purpose behind whatever he does. Kol's a true psychopath. He kills without any reason at all."

"Didn't you say they've been mostly based in New Orleans? With all the supernatural stuff in that town, why Mystic Falls?" Lindsey asked.

"I'd like to know that, myself. Not like the Big Easy doesn't have its full complement of witches and spooky people. We should go sometime."

Lindsey shook her head emphatically. "Nope. No way. Being in Mystic Falls was bad enough. New Orleans has enough bad vibes to completely freak me out for six months."

Damon grinned at her. "And you say you're not psychic."

"I'm not! I just pick up on stuff. And there's way too much stuff to pick up on in New Orleans. I can't even tell you what's around. I just know when it's bad."

"Which still makes me wonder how you stood to be around me."

She gave him a playful shove. "You know the answer to that."

Her gave her the grin that told her he loved her. "I know."

Lindsey rolled to her back. "There's still a nice, low branch on my maple tree that's just waiting for Klaus."

"What are you planning on doing to him?" Damon was curious.

"What I told Ric I'd do when you all were chasing him and Stefan. Hang him up by his heels for three or four days. See if that got through to him."

Damon chuckled. Lindsey's bloodthirsty streak rarely showed itself, unless she was contemplating mayhem against someone who had hurt him. "And what were your plans for my little brother?"

"For Stefan? Oh, I was just gonna slap the snot out of him. Repeatedly. And if that didn't work, then my cast iron skillet upside his head."

"Ow," Damon said, rubbing his nose. He was remembering when he got a taste of that in Nashville.

Lindsey looked shamefaced as she rolled back to face Damon and rubbed his head. "Bless it. I'm still sorry I did that."

"No, you're not. And I totally deserved it." He grinned at her. "I think that's when I really started falling in love with you. I was so pissed at you I couldn't see straight, but I loved the courage it took to do that. Turned me on. And I started thinking this was a woman who could hold her own with me."

"Really?" This was news to Lindsey.

"Really."

 _Even after their unspoken truce had been declared, Lindsey still felt apprehensive around Damon, and he was still very capable of being little short of insulting when he felt like it. He had been drinking too, too much and was nagging Lindsey about not eating. It was a bad combination._

" _The powers that be want you to eat," he said._

" _Like I told you before: Tough."_

" _Well, I don't want them dogging me about it the next time I have to go in there."_

" _Deal with it." Her tone brooked no argument._

 _Damon rolled his eyes. "Look. I don't know if this is some kind of hunger strike protest thing you've got going on, but it's damned depressing watching you eat toast and nothing else. I'm tired of it."_

" _ **You're**_ _tired of it? Well you can go straight to hell, Damon Salvatore!" she yelled at him. She went to the stove and started wiping it off. He was sitting at the kitchen table, with his back to her._

 _He mumbled something, then, and Lindsey thought it sounded like, "Not like I've never seen a fat girl eat before."_

 _There were few times in her life when Lindsey Hargrove had been in a killing rage, but his words sparked it into flame. She picked up the iron skillet. She didn't even have to step toward him. "You are one more fucking asshole!" she screamed._

 _Just as Damon turned in shock, Lindsey creamed him upside the head with the skillet. He immediately crumpled to the floor, blood everywhere. She had broken his nose, and probably fractured his skull. She stood, looking at him, hands on her hips. "Maybe that'll shut you up - finally!"_

 _About that time, the "voice" came over the loudspeaker. "Ms. Hargrove, what did you do?"_

" _Knocked Damon across the head with the iron skillet. He'll be all right. Might take a couple of hours, though. Tell him to knock it off with the fat girl comments, though, or I'm doing something more permanent. I don't care what happens to me."_

" _This was unexpected. We will need to reassess," the voice said._

" _Tell it to the Marines. I don't care," she snapped and went into the office._

 _Just about two hours later, the office door flew open. Damon stood there, his eyes blazing, and Lindsey could see some faint bruising still remained around his nose. Good enough for him. She turned back to her book._

" _Bitch!" he yelled. All he got for his trouble was Lindsey flipping her middle finger at him. "You'd better apologize for that," he said, and he sped to her, and was looking her in the eyes, fangs showing. He knew he was one scary SOB, but he was shocked to see not a flicker of fear in Lindsey's eyes. Anger, yes - and hurt. But not fear._

 _She put down her book. "O.K. I'm sorry, Damon. I'm sorry you weren't unconscious for a couple more hours so I could get some peace and quiet around here! I'm sorry I couldn't hit you harder! I'm sorry you feel the need to act like a jackass to someone who's never done a damn thing to you! You've probably had that coming from a woman for decades. So snap my neck or drain me or do whatever the hell you have to do. I am so far past caring, it's not funny." Her eyes blazed right back into his._

 _Damon raised his hands and then dropped them. He felt the rage drain out of him. "You are the most frustrating woman I've ever met," he said._

" _From you, I'll take that as a compliment."_

 _Damon shook his head and a rueful chuckle escaped him before he could hold it back. "How is it I can't even stay mad at a woman who just cold-cocked me with a cast iron skillet?"_

" _Because you know how much you deserved it. And it's not like it did any permanent damage."_

" _Before I passed out, I heard what you said about me finally shutting up. I think you've made your point now. I get it. I'm sorry. That was a dick comment. Completely unnecessary."_

" _Well, I will admit to losing my mind in there. I'm sorry, too. I should have just walked out."_

" _No," he said, sitting next to her on the futon. "I totally deserved it. Like you said, I've had it coming for a long time. It's even kind of hot."_

" _What is?"_

" _That a human woman should just wail on my head with a skillet, not caring what I might be able to do to her. That takes guts, Lindsey."_

" _Or a unique brand of stupidity," she said dryly._

 _Damon laughed out loud. "Maybe a little, but mostly, courage." He ventured putting his arm around her shoulders. He looked keenly at her. "We're messed up," he said._

" _You got that right," she replied._

Lindsey chuckled softly at the memory. "Normally, when my temper gets away with me like that, I'm a wreck after. Not that time, though. I probably should have been."

"Want to know what I really wanted to do?"

"What's that?"

"Kiss you senseless, then drag you to the bedroom and do unspeakably indecent things to you until you realized how wonderful I am." His eyes were twinkling.

"So instead, you just waited until you married me," she laughed.

"Call me unconventional," he said.

"You are that. For sure." Her phone rang and she answered it. "Hey, Dana. What's going on? You do? Another one? Oh, my gosh. All right. Sure. You want us to come and get her or do you want to bring her over here? O.K. We'll be waiting on you. See you." She clicked off the call.

"Meth and crack?" Damon asked, having overheard the call.

"Yep, both. They found her in a house where they were making meth and she has crack in her system. Two months old." Lindsey shook her head sadly.

"I'd better not find out who her sperm donor is. I'll take care of him."

"Settle down, sweetheart. You need to get in an appropriate frame of mind before Dana gets here with that baby."

* * *

Somehow - and Damon still wasn't sure how it happened - he and Lindsey had become temporary foster parents. They took care of babies and toddlers who needed emergency, temporary care, usually children removed from crack houses and drug addicted mothers. Lindsey moved her office upstairs to the attic and refurbished the room into a comfortable nursery or child's room.

Lindsey was absolutely serious about using her vampire abilities to help others. She knew emergency foster homes were tough to come by, but she also knew she and Damon could do it. Damon got the nursery ready, plugging in the cameras and monitors so they could keep a close eye on the child who would be staying there. She rarely said much to him about it, but Damon was wonderful with the babies. They liked Lindsey, but he could just hold a fussy child and it quieted immediately. He would have made a fantastic father. And babies and toddlers didn't notice anything odd about their caregivers, so they were the ideal group.

When Dana, the social worker, arrived with the child, Lindsey and Damon were waiting on her.

"Hi Dana. Sorry to see you," Lindsey said, as she always did. This was a tragedy.

"I know. I'm thrilled to see you, though." She handed Lindsey the tiny baby, who was wrapped in a blanket. "Takeelah only weighs eight pounds. She was five pounds at birth. But you know these babies are usually underweight when they're born."

Lindsey nodded as she took the child. "Yeah. But we'll fatten her up for you."

"I know. Babies always do well here."

"It's love," Lindsey said, and she was only lying a little. Love did work wonders - and so did just a few drops of vampire blood. It seemed to kill the addiction, which Lindsey thought was over half the battle. Once the little body was free of that obstacle, the child could grow and develop.

"Must be. Well, I'll let you know when we have a more permanent placement."

"Take your time. We've got her. You get all the papers signed, hon?" she asked Damon, who had been talking to the deputy accompanying Dana and signing the transfer paperwork.

"Yeah. We're done."

"O.K. Let's get this little one something to eat then, and put her down for a nap. Take care, Dana. We'll be in touch, too."

"All right. Thank you and Damon again. We don't know what we'd do without ya'll."

"We're glad we can help," Lindsey answered.

Dana drove away, happy to have placed the child. Damon and Lindsey Salvatore were definitely an unusual couple, but babies seemed to thrive under their care. Toddlers, too. Lindsey attributed it to fresh air, peace and quiet, a healthy, wholesome diet and love. Dana couldn't argue; the results spoke for themselves. Even the most fragile, emergency cases - which Takeelah was - always seemed to rally when placed with the Salvatores. "I can't explain it, but I'm glad they're here," she said to herself.

Damon followed Lindsey upstairs to the nursery. He was reading the baby's paperwork and Lindsey heard a low growl from behind her. She put the baby in the crib and turned to her husband. He was outraged. "What is it, babe?"

"This little girl? Her sorry sperm donor has been a busy, busy boy. This is the third - _third_ \- child of his we've had here. Third. No telling how many other kids have been in other homes. When he gets out of jail, I'm gonna fix him."

"Damon…" Lindsey's tone was a warning.

"I didn't say kill. I said 'fix.' As in neuter."

She chuckled. "While I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment, no. Not your place to do it."

"Watch me."

That earned Damon "the look." Lindsey narrowed her eyes at him and stared him down.

"O.K., O.K. But I can think about it."

"Think all you want. I'm right in there with you on thinking about it. But don't do it. We've got a little girl to see about, anyway." She went to the crib and let down the rails on one side, so she could easily hold Takeelah. She undressed the little girl - and growled, herself.

"What is it?" Damon asked. Lindsey hardly ever made that noise.

"Look at this baby's skin! She's got flea bites all over her! No wonder she's trying to claw at herself. Hand me the Caladryl lotion." Lindsey spread the lotion all over the baby, and its anesthetic properties started to take effect. She put the bottle sterilizer in the nursery microwave and started heating formula.

Damon stood over the crib, watching the baby. "Poor little mite," he said. He stroked her forehead and as babies always did when he touched them, she stopped fussing. He grinned, pleased.

Lindsey was smiling too, as she prepared the bottle. She dropped her fangs and pricked her finger, then allowed a few drops of blood to mix with the formula. She capped the bottle, shook it and went to the baby. She wrapped her in the blanket, picked her up and sat down in the rocker with the child. She put the bottle to Takeelah's lips, and after a moment, growled again.

"Now what?" Damon said.

"Poor sucking reflex. No wonder she's so tiny. She can hardly suck hard enough to get the formula out of the bottle," Lindsey answered. She shifted the baby's head, and squeezed the bottle gently, to get a few drops of formula on her tongue. The vampire blood entered the baby's system, and the healing started immediately. Her sucking reflex strengthened and she started on the bottle with enthusiasm. Lindsey grinned at the smacking noises. "She's getting a tummy full, now. A couple of ounces ought to work, and then we'll feed her again in about three hours." She finished and handed Damon the bottle, then put the baby over her shoulder to burp her. That accomplished, Lindsey put the child in a nightgown and put her to bed. She turned on the cameras and nursery monitors. Everything was working, and what the monitors didn't pick up, her own ears would.

They went down to the den and sat on the sofa. Damon harrumphed irritably. "They'd kill us in a heartbeat for being what we are. But what about those losers who're allowed to run around, procreate indiscriminately and leave the state to take care of their children? The kids are born addicted to drugs, in poverty and left to grow up on the streets. In jail by the time they're twenty. Or younger. But _I'm_ the monster. Bullshit."

Lindsey had heard this before, but he was right. "Well, that's why we do what we're doing, sweetheart. Maybe we can help get these kids a little better start. Dana told me once we were an odd couple," she said and laughed. "If she only knew. A middle-aged woman and her much younger husband, the reformed serial killer. And both vampires. It really is pretty funny."

"Just goes to show you the people who look the best on paper aren't always the ideal," he answered, smiling at Lindsey.

"That's for sure. I know I grinned when I got to the part on the form about whether you'd been convicted of any felonies. Committed, yes; convicted, no. I don't know for the life of me how you passed the kind of background check they do for foster parents."

"I told you about vampires in government offices. They pushed it through, I'm sure. And even though I have disposed of my share of bodies - and then some - I've never hurt a child, and I never would."

"I know you wouldn't, Damon. And these days, it would take a lot more to prompt you to hurt anyone else. You just don't know how very proud I am of you." She climbed into his lap to face him. "That's not to say you're still not every bit the badass vampire I fell in love with, but the mellower version is much easier to live with." She took his face in her hands and kissed him. "I saw one of the new Camaros the other day. It was this inky black, and I thought of how insanely hot you'd look driving it. I love our baby blue, but she is getting some age on her, and we might want to think about making her our weekend car."

"You might have a point," he said. He knew Lindsey would never ask him to give up his classic Camaro, as long as it was safe to drive. "Was the car you saw a convertible?"

"It was. It's the revamped Camaro, and it is one more sexy car. It might be as sexy as you are."

He grinned. "Says the woman who still drives a sensible Ford sedan."

"Well, one of us needs to drive something that will accommodate us and a car seat. I'd love a new Mustang, but a car seat would be inconvenient. And you know how I feel about climbing in and out of the back seat of a two-door car. Besides, owning a classic pony car is a legitimate hobby. Three performance cars for just a couple? Someone might start thinking something's a little weird about us. Even more than they already do. But having a decent sedan means someone just likes classic cars. Nothing strange about that."

Damon chuckled. "You're trying to tell me I'm weird again, aren't you?"

"No. I'm weird, too. We just have to keep the weird within acceptable limits." She kissed him again and then raised her head. "Someone's coming up the drive. Not a car I recognize," she said.

Damon grinned. Lindsey's hearing in the higher registers was better than his, even, and she could distinguish whose car was coming into the drive by sound. Of course, she was able to do that to a certain extent when she was human. He supposed it had something to do with the fact that she also rarely ever forgot a song, once memorized - again, a talent she also had as a human.

They heard the car stop and Lindsey went to the front window. "I don't recognize the driver," she said. "And the car has Louisiana tags. Sports car."

Damon looked toward heaven. It all sounded suspiciously like Klaus. He also went to the window and peeked through the sheers. Oh, shit. What was _he_ doing here, and how had he found the place? The house wasn't exactly on the beaten path.

"Dammit to hell. Klaus," Damon whispered, but Lindsey was already gone and back with a fabulous crossbow loaded with vervain darts. Ric had given it to her when she was human and he and Damon had stayed a couple of weeks. She knew she couldn't kill Klaus with it, but it might slow him down enough for them to bundle him into the car and get him out of the territory. She would have to get Bonnie to put a protection spell on the place. Aside from her daylight token, she hated dealing with witchcraft in any shape, form or fashion, but if it kept her home safe, she was willing to do it.

A knock sounded on the door. "Let me deal with with him," Damon mouthed and Lindsey nodded. She stood out of sight, but where she could quickly get to the door.

Damon opened the door. "Klaus. What brings you to this little corner of nowhere?" His tone was pleasant, but Lindsey could hear the suspicion underneath.

"Hullo, Damon. I'd heard you found your own little slice of paradise, complete with a lovely bride. Where is she, by the way? I'd love to meet her."

Damon knew better than to lie about Lindsey's presence. Klaus could probably smell her. He was about to answer when Lindsey appeared from the front room, crossbow stowed handily by the door, within easy reach.

"I'm right here," she said. She and Klaus appraised each other. She saw a man of about average height - perhaps a shade taller than Damon. He had a slender build, short sandy hair and blue eyes. Not the gorgeous blue of Damon's eyes, of course. His face was nice looking, with a generous mouth, but there was something coarse underneath. She did not like this man, going from what she had heard, and also, what she saw in his eyes.

Klaus saw a brunette, a few years older than Damon's human age, but it was hard to tell how many. Her face was attractive, but she was not beautiful. "Interesting," is how he would describe her. She had a high forehead, a firm chin, a well-shaped mouth and deep-set eyes that flashed a coppery brown. With her curvy frame, she was as unlike Elena Gilbert as a woman could be. He looked into her eyes and found himself rendered intensely uncomfortable. It was as if she could see into his soul, and he did not like that feeling, at all. There was no fear in her eyes. As Elena had noticed the first time they met, he saw she was intensely suspicious, but not afraid. His mouth crooked in a grin. Unless he was much mistaken, Damon Salvatore had met his match in this woman. His respect for both inched up a notch. "Klaus Mikaelson. So lovely to meet you."

"Lindsey Salvatore. Nice to meet you too, Klaus."

"I have to tell you, the vampire community has been abuzz over the news that Damon finally married, and everyone is wondering who took him out of circulation," Klaus said.

Damon rolled his eyes as Lindsey snorted, "Then they don't have enough to do with their time. So I'll repeat my husband's question. What brings you all the way from New Orleans?"

"The Augustines. It's past time they were eradicated."

"I find myself in complete agreement with you, Klaus. You and Damon make yourselves comfortable on the porch. Would you care for some bourbon, or sweet iced tea? I keep a gallon of extra sweet tea brewed for Damon all the time."

"If there's fresh lemon, I'd love a glass of tea," he said.

"Always. Be right back," Lindsey answered. If she left the front door open, she would be able to hear them. She would drink tea with Klaus, and even though she knew he could come into her house without an invitation, she didn't want him thinking he could stroll in any old time he felt like it.

She brought three glasses and set one down for Klaus, then Damon, who was in his spot on the swing, and sat down beside him.

"So, what made you decide the Augustines needed to be terminated?" Lindsey asked.

"Well, they've been stirring things up in Virginia, in New Orleans and other places. And as the sort of _de facto_ leader of the pack, you might say, one could make the argument the responsibility falls to me to make it happen."

Lindsey raised her eyebrows. "So you're concerned that vampires are being tortured? I didn't think most vampires exactly cared about what happened to each other, with a few exceptions."

Klaus glanced at Damon, who was clearly enjoying himself. This line of questioning didn't surprise him, apparently. "We've always _cared_. There just wasn't much we could do about it. But now, with communications being so much better, with more vampires being affected, this is a good time to strike."

Lindsey didn't believe his act for a second. He was being hit by these characters, or it what they did wouldn't bother him in the least. "Let's cut to the chase, Klaus. Who got caught that you knew, or how it is affecting your bottom line? There's a reason you want them gone, so what is it?"

"You're a perceptive little thing, aren't you? They got Elijah - one of my brothers."

"Shit," Damon said. "Do they still have him?"

"No. He escaped, but his descriptions of what they did to him inspired my sudden activism. Kol and Rebekah have been in Mystic Falls, trying to see what they can pick up. I thought, as one of their former captives, you might also be interested in their immediate demise."

"So what were you thinking?" Damon asked.

"Round them up and do what we do best." He flashed his fangs in a grin. Damon chuckled.

"Won't work," Lindsey said.

Klaus looked at her. "Excuse me, Lindsey dear? What won't work?"

"Getting rid of the current crop. Damon tried that before. They came back. You never got the immortal head of the Hydra, to wax mythological. You only got the heads that could be killed. I've thought a lot about those how those idiots operate, and someone is bankrolling this operation. Cut off the money and you cut off the immortal head." She looked at Damon and Klaus, both of whom were staring at her, open-mouthed. "What? I'm a reporter! Follow the money. Such is the way of the world!"

Damon put his arm around Lindsey's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "That's my woman! She's smarter than either one of us, Klaus," he said, pride in his voice.

"You may be right, Damon. So, my sweet. How do we cut off the immortal head, so to speak?"

"Like I said: Follow the money. It will always lead you to your destination. These characters are pretty much based at Whitmore University, right?"

"Yeah," Damon said.

"And they use college facilities for their ahem - research, right?"

"Right."

"O.K. I know Whitmore is a state university. That means you can get to their financial records. They're public record, by law. Then you start looking at their board of trustees or regents - how ever the college is governed. And start looking at least back to the forties, and look for the same last names, over and over again, on the board. You're looking for trends and patterns. How many victims did they have in the fifties when you got caught, Damon?"

"About ten, I think."

"I know they eventually killed the victims. How did they dispose of the bodies? Cremation, I'd imagine."

"Probably." Damon still wasn't quite following her.

"All right. Are there any records the college purchased an incinerator, say, along about that time? It's worth a look."

Damon's eyebrows went up. "I never thought about that."

"See, that's how these people have been able to keep doing what they do. So many vampires have been turned a long while. You don't have to deal with humans at the paperwork level, or in real, practical numbers. You pay cash or use compulsion, or both. You've lived outside humans for so long, you don't see it anymore, and you're all too suspicious of each other to work together. But I'm still in the swim of human existence. I still do some reporting. And, I was a regular reporter for 20 years, even though I wrote mostly feature stuff. This is still the kind of stuff we bird-dogged every day. The term is 'watchdog journalism,' which basically means you hold officials' feet to the fire to make sure they account for the money they spend. You start looking down the financial back trails though, and you _will_ find who's been keeping this project alive. I guarantee it."

"So where do we start with all this?" Klaus asked. He actually looked impressed.

"With public records. Most states have an open records law. We start by requesting public records, and we go from there. It would help if you had a friend who works for a member of the Virginia Press Association, either with the newspapers or TV."

Damon grinned at that. "Would you believe Vampire Barbie? Caroline started working for the Mystic Falls Herald a couple of months ago. She writes the society page. No surprises there, but she does."

Lindsey nodded. "There's your in, then. As a member of the media, she can make the request, and she can put the VPA's attorney on their tails if they won't come up with the records."

"I expect Caroline is still playing house with Stefan?" Klaus asked.

"Oh yeah. They're disgusting together," Damon answered, but Lindsey knew he was just putting up a front.

Klaus shook his head. "What is it about you Salvatore brothers? How do you effortlessly manage to attract the most beautiful, accomplished, intelligent women? I can almost understand you, Damon, but Stefan? Good God."

Lindsey's eyes widened. "Well, I didn't know you had a thing for Caroline, too, Klaus. Damon never mentioned it."

"Let's say I didn't exactly use the best judgment on that front," he muttered.

"Must be something in the water in Mystic Falls, I swear. That town is full of humans and altered humans who are bent on using really bad judgment and making terrible decisions. I don't understand it."

"How old were you when you were turned, Lindsey?" Klaus asked.

"Forty-six. And that's been a year ago, so I'm nearly forty-seven."

He shook his head. "You hardly look a day over thirty-five. Not much older than Damon."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, love. Perhaps being turned a little later in life allows one to acquire better decision-making skills."

"That's what Damon says, but who knows?" She paused and cocked her head, listening. "The baby's awake. You'd better go get her, Damon. It's not time for her to eat yet and you'll be the best one to calm her down."

"O.K.," he said and as he stood, he looked at Klaus. "That's my wife, remember."

"Oh, for God's sake. Do whatever it is you need to do, Damon! She's quite safe."

Damon harrumphed in reply, but went upstairs.

"So. A baby? Did you adopt?" Klaus asked, looking keenly at her.

"No, we're temporary foster parents. We take the emergency cases. Usually, the mother's on drugs, or the baby has been abandoned or something like that. We just got Takeelah today. And turns out, Damon is wonderful with babies. All he has to do is pick them up, and they stop fussing and are as happy as they can be. I don't know how he does it."

Klaus shook his head. "I confess, I have a great deal of difficulty seeing Damon in such a - domestic - role, considering his awfully bloody past."

"He's never harmed a child, and never would, Klaus. He's trying to live with honor and decency as my husband. I know about his past. He's told me. No secrets. But I choose to let the past stay where it is and extend grace. He's capable of love and kindness, which means he's not irredeemable. He's very much worth loving, and I do love him."

"I see," Klaus answered. Well, hadn't she delivered an effective set down?

Damon, of course, could hear every word, and as he picked up the baby and put her on his shoulder, he had to smile. Lindsey was his staunch advocate and defender. Takeelah fussed every time he put her back down, so he put a cloth over his shoulder to catch the drool and brought her downstairs.

When he sat down in the swing with the baby, Klaus looked surprised. "Tiny little thing," he said.

"She's underweight. She was born addicted to crack," Lindsey explained, "and so she has a hard time eating. We'll get her in good shape, though."

"Born addicted. And they call _us_ monsters," Klaus said.

"That's what I say," Damon responded.

"So what do we do once Caroline requests the financial records?" Klaus asked.

"We read. A lot. We look for patterns, unusual purchases, like for stuff that doesn't match a program they actually offer. And I'd recommend we get Caroline, Stefan and Bonnie all in on this. The more sets of eyes we've got on the project, the better." She thought for a moment. "And let me check the online conspiracy boards. Just because a whole bunch of nuts post there, it doesn't mean they're all completely wrong. Sometimes, they have good information. I'll see what I can dig up. Because that's what this is going to be: a lot of digging and scratching. It's not going to be easy, but here's the angle: we know these people have used regular humans in their experiments. Without their consent. I'm proof. So that's where we get the bankrollers. We threaten to expose that they've been using humans."

"And that will likely take care of the problem," Damon said.

"I'd think so," Lindsey answered.

Klaus chuckled. "Lindsey, my dear, you have a truly devious mind. This could work."

"It _will_ work if we do it right. And I'm not devious. I'm logical."

"Nah, you're devious, sweetheart," Damon replied.

"Shut up."

Klaus grinned at them. "Damon, I do believe you've finally come across the one woman in the world who is unwilling to tolerate your nonsense."

"I don't tolerate nonsense from any vampires, period," Lindsey said, looking Klaus right in the eyes.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I can believe that," he answered. He might well be an Original and immortal - the most powerful vampire in the world - but he hadn't survived this long by being stupid. He read people very well, and he had a feeling that if he put a foot wrong around Lindsey Salvatore, he would likely pay for it. She might not lash out immediately, but she was indeed, devious, and he knew eventually, she would get her own back at him, and it wouldn't be pleasant. She might even be able to put Kol in his place, and wouldn't that be something to watch?

"Well, I'll send an email to Caroline to tell her what's up, and to get her to request those records. Then we'll see what happens from there," Lindsey said. "I may also ask her to get in touch with Elena. She's on campus and can be eyes and ears, if she's willing. I mean, this affects her, too. Every supernatural is at risk from those people."

Klaus stood. "Well, I'll be off now. I'll probably stop by again tomorrow. So delightful to meet you, Lindsey." He went down the steps and peeled out of the gravel driveway in a cloud of dust.

Lindsey looked over at Damon. "Well, that explains why Kol and Rebekah are in Mystic Falls," she said. "You'd better go ahead and call Stefan. I'll email Caroline. I can't believe Klaus is actually trying to get rid of these idiots. I think it's the right thing to do, but I still can't quite believe it. He's being as honest as he ever is, I think, but we'll see." She smiled at the baby in his arms. "Is Takeelah asleep again?"

Damon looked at the baby and grinned. "Out like a light," he said. "I'll put her back down."

* * *

 **Well? Can I get a review? Please?** **Reviews are love, after all!** **:)**


	2. Chapter 2: Starting from Scratch

**A/N: Told you the updates would come quickly at the beginning! Chapter 2 already! This one is a little shorter, but brevity is the essence of wit, after all. Enjoy and REVIEW, dear readers! Thank you!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Starting from Scratch**

As he promised, Klaus came by the house the next day, and once again, was seated on the porch. He knew that was Lindsey's way of telling him she didn't approve of him, but would tolerate him because of the Augustine situation.

"So mate, tell me about this blood bond business. I'm intrigued. I've heard of it, but I'm not sure I understand its workings, exactly." Klaus just sounded curious, but Damon being Damon, well, he wondered what the ulterior motive was. Because with Nicklaus, there was _always_ an ulterior motive.

"According to Bonnie, it happened long before Lindsey was turned. We had feelings for each other, shared blood, and there you go. Apparently, when she was turned, it strengthened the link, but it'd been semi-active for years. The only time either one of us was truly happy was when we were together." After another talk with Bonnie, he discovered he _might_ have initiated his half of the link when he marked Lindsey, but really, that was just conjecture. It was difficult to say when her side of the link was formed. But he wasn't telling Klaus any of that. None of his business.

"How interesting. I hear you two met because of the Augustines. Is that right?"

Where was he getting this information? Caroline, probably. "Yep. Only good thing they ever did for anybody."

"So what are the effects of the blood bond, besides a feeling of happiness?"

If Damon didn't know better, he'd swear Klaus sounded envious. "Well, I kind of know how Lindsey's feeling from day to day, and if anything makes her really happy or really upset, I can tell. Can't necessarily say what it is, but I usually know when something's up."

"I imagine the blood sharing becomes very intense, then," Klaus said.

"You could say that." The blood sharing was transcendent, in fact. After making love to his wife, and a bout of blood sharing, Damon was high for hours. On the rare occasions they now got to spend the whole day in bed, he walked around in a happy, golden haze for a couple of days after. But again, Klaus didn't need to know any of that.

"Actually, _I'd_ have said monogamy is a strange disease for you to catch at this late date. Is it the bond, then?" the Original probed. Upstairs, Lindsey rolled her eyes at the statement.

"Could be, but I think it's more finding myself satisfied with my life these days," Damon answered.

"How nice for you," Klaus said, his tone more than a little sarcastic. Damon shrugged mentally. He didn't care whether Klaus believed him or not. He _was_ satisfied with his life.

"Don't let my wife hear you say it like that. You're already on her hit list for the whole Stefan incident," Damon said with a smirk.

"Oh, and what does she intend to do to me?" Klaus was interested.

"I believe her words were, 'shoot him full of vervain, then hang him up by his heels from my maple tree.' Or something along those lines."

The Original chuckled in spite of himself. "Inventive. Why upside down?"

"Again, her words, 'so some blood will run to his head.' You can draw your own conclusions." Damon's eyes were twinkling with malice. Lindsey was shaking, trying not to laugh out loud while she changed and dressed the baby.

"I see," Klaus said, but he still looked more amused than anything else. "She's not afraid of much, is she?"

"Snakes. That's it. She hates snakes. Not real fond of tornadoes, either. But people? Not really. Or vampires. When she holds a grudge, it's that deep-down, ugly kind like her Irish ancestors used to do. She doesn't hate many people, though. I can only think of a couple."

"Who does she hate?" This should prove interesting.

Klaus got Damon's lopsided grin. "Katherine Pierce. She's very sorry she didn't get to kill her, and says she'd better stay dead, or gone, or whatever she is."

"Is that so? And her feelings for me?" Would she hate him?

Damon quirked an eyebrow at him, while Lindsey silently implored her husband to stop while he was ahead. He could feel her anxiety through the bond and tried to send reassurance. "You'll have to ask her," he said and could feel Lindsey's relief at his words. The last thing they needed was for Klaus to get pissed.

"Oh, I will," he promised, smirking in turn.

Lindsey came downstairs with Takeelah. Even though Damon knew she heard the whole exchange, she gave no indication of it. "Little girl's in a much better mood this morning. Having a full tummy and a good night's sleep makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it sweetie pie?" she cooed at the baby, who gurgled back at her. She sat in the swing. "I was only up with her once last night. Damon, did you get up?"

"Only to check on her about four. She was curled up and zonked out. Didn't even twitch," he answered with a grin.

Have you heard from Caroline yet?" Klaus asked.

Lindsey shook her head. "She said she'd do some checking and let me know what she found out. Don't get too anxious, Klaus. Take my word for it: a project like this takes time. We may not have what we need for six months. But it'll come. You have to let the system work. It does."

"I've never exactly been known for my patience," he replied.

"Then now's a good time to cultivate the virtue," she said. "We can't go in with fangs blazing, so to speak. They'd just circle the wagons and stonewall us. This has to be done in stages. We want all our ducks in a row and quacking on command when this goes down. We have to be able to present documentation to back up every single allegation. If we don't have it, then it does no good. And that takes time. Do this correctly the first time, and we won't have to do it over. And they wouldn't give us a second opportunity, anyway. We get one shot at this, so let's make it a knockout. We don't want them getting up again."

"So who will be the one we present the evidence to?" Klaus asked.

Lindsey shrugged. "I don't know yet. We don't know enough about anything to even start making guesses. I have some vague suspicions, just based on what I know about how colleges work, but that's all they are." She looked from Damon to Klaus. "Oh, no. Not sharing even that much. If people start disappearing, that raises suspicions. Let them keep doing what they're doing, as despicable as it is. Let's give them plenty of rope. They'll hang themselves for us."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "You sound rather certain."

"I've seen it happen. The records request will shake them up. They'll want to stonewall, but they won't be able to. Why make a big deal out of something if you have nothing to hide? But if they're panicking, they'll start making mistakes, and that's when we catch them. I'm telling you, Klaus. This is doable IF we don't get ahead of ourselves, or get impatient and start doing stupid stuff." She looked hard at Damon, who looked injured in turn. She shook her head. "I've got a few other ideas, too. Let it ride, Klaus. We'll get those bastards, I'm telling you. We'll get them."

He gave her a small smile. "Your confidence is inspiring. Damon and I were having a fascinating conversation. He said there were very few people you hated, Katherine Pierce being one of them."

"Let's just say it's a good thing I never got my hands on her. Whatever hell she's in is tame compared to what I'd like to do to her." Damon squeezed her hand at that.

"I asked him how you feel about me, and he said I'd have to ask you. So how _do_ you really feel about me, Lindsey love?" Klaus' smirk was evil, knowing.

Fortunately, Lindsey had a few minutes to think about how to answer him while she was upstairs. She handed the baby to Damon and looked Klaus right in the eyes, and hers narrowed just a little. She stared at him long enough to make the silence a little awkward and finally, she said, "Are you sure you want to know? Really?"

Klaus' smirk faded and was replaced with a thoughtful expression. "Perhaps not." As well as Damon's wife could analyze a situation, he had no doubt her assessment of him would be incisive, truthful and extremely unpleasant.

"Good thinking," she answered and could feel laughter in every fiber of Damon's side of the bond. He was loving this.

"That child is a sweet little thing," Klaus said, indicating the baby.

"She sure is," Lindsey answered, smiling indulgently at her husband holding the infant.

* * *

Klaus finally left, much to Lindsey's relief, and she and Damon went upstairs with the baby. She said, "She's fussy. Rock her a while, since you're the baby whisperer around here."

He looked disgruntled, but as soon as Lindsey left the room, he grinned at Takeelah and kissed her tiny nose. She cooed at him and Lindsey, hearing the noise, laughed silently. Heaven forbid anyone ever caught Damon being the rather large pillar of Jello he turned into when babies were around. She went to her office and logged in to an email account no one knew about but her. Even Damon didn't have the password. There was a good reason for her secrecy. She had emailed the magazine _Sanguinem_ \- the official vampire magazine - to see if they had any resources she could use, or knew of anyone who could help shed light on who funded the Augustines. The editor answered and said he'd contact some people and would let her know what he found out.

"I honestly don't know how two people can make sure the house looks like a disaster area, even with a cleaning lady coming in twice a week!" Lindsey grouched as she cooked lunch. She insisted on keeping as human a household as possible, which meant regular meals. She loved to cook, Damon loved her cooking and as she said, it was difficult to say something was wrong in a house where there were dirty dishes in the sink.

She had Takeelah on the kitchen counter in a little carrier that doubled as a car seat. She believed in including the children in all the home activities. As she cooked, she talked to the baby. "This is probably because only one of us actually cleans up after herself, while the other one is generally too lazy to hit a lick at a snake."

"I heard that!" came Damon's voice from the front room.

"I'm sure you did," Lindsey said. "But he does have his good points. He loves little ones like you, sweet girl." She went to the baby and kissed her forehead. "Getting about time for your lunch too, isn't it, little one?" Lindsey made up a bottle and cradled Takeelah in her arms to feed her.

Damon came into the kitchen. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's good. Dana sent me a text this morning. We have an appointment with the pediatrician next week. I'm fully expecting her to weigh at least nine pounds by then. Maybe ten, if she keeps pigging out."

"That would be good. What's a baby her age supposed to weigh, anyhow?"

"Oh," Lindsey thought about it. "Maybe 12 or 14 pounds? She hasn't even doubled her birth weight yet."

"I still think neutering that asshole sperm donor would be doing the world in general a favor, and specifically, women in this county."

"I agree with you in principle. Now, if you happen to run into him somewhere and say, compel him into impotence, I'd think you were doing a good deed." She grinned at him until she saw Damon's eyes light up with mayhem. "No! Kidding! Stay away from him!"

His grin was absolutely diabolical. "But it's such a good idea! No one dies, and he spends the rest of his miserable life frustrated and wondering why old faithful is now a limp dishrag." He kissed her. "How did I not know I married an evil genius?"

"I'd say you were incorrigible, but you'd just take it as a compliment." She shook her head.

Damon grinned at her, showing his fangs.

"Charming. Now put those things away before you scare this baby out of her wits."

"I thought that's the reason we take care of these little ones: they don't know the difference."

"Still. I don't want her traumatized. Seeing a face she trusts, and then all of a sudden, fangs. And it's not like yours are inconspicuous or anything."

"So you have a problem with my teeth?" He tried to sound hurt.

Her eye roll was worthy of one of his own. "No. They match the rest of you, and _nothing_ about you is inconspicuous, that's for darn sure."

"I _will_ take that as a compliment."

"Aren't you glad I love you?"

Damon's face softened into the genuinely sweet expression she knew must have stopped hearts when he was human. "You have no idea, sugar." He leaned in to kiss her again. "Looks like Priss is asleep. I'll put her in her seat and we can have lunch, then."

"O.K."

Lindsey handed him the baby and he placed her tenderly into the seat. "She's so pretty," he said. "I'll bet Bonnie looked like this when she was a baby."

"She may have."

"So do we have anything to worry about from Klaus?" Lindsey asked as they sat down to eat.

Damon shook his head. "I don't think so. He seemed interested in getting the Augustines and not much else. Nothing here for him."

"I hope that's the case," she answered.

* * *

Lunch over, Lindsey kissed Damon and said she needed a few things in town. She was gone longer than he thought she would be, and a couple of anxious texts went unanswered. Finally, he heard an unfamiliar rumble in the driveway and went to the front porch. His jaw dropped. Lindsey was driving one of the brand new Camaros she mentioned. It was a convertible in a high-gloss black that seemed to absorb all the light around it. Her car followed behind, along with a third car. As he stood, open-mouthed, she got out of the car, shook hands with the two men who got out of the other cars, and they left in their vehicle. Using her vampire grace, she tossed a set of keys to Damon, and he caught them.

"Happy very, very early anniversary, sweetheart," she said.

Damon slowly walked down the steps, his eyes glued to the sleek machine. It oozed power, speed, grace - _performance_. If ever a car could be called sexy, this was it. The lines were perfect, and Damon could tell it had every option available. He looked at Lindsey.

"It's a 6.2 liter V-8, 445 horsepower, 8-speed automatic with the paddle option so you can shift if you want to," she said. "Some kind of machine, huh?"

Damon nodded silently as he gawked at the car. He sometimes forgot his wife liked cars and knew a little about buying them. He walked around her, slid in behind the wheel and started the engine. The bass rumble made him grin like a little boy.

Lindsey leaned her elbows on the door. "Well? Is it up to the Salvatore standard for cars?" she asked with a smirk. "The Oneonta dealership had to order it from Atlanta."

Damon looked at Lindsey. Her expression was as smug as any he could produce, and her eyes twinkled with mischief. She knew she had gotten one on him, but good.

"You sneaky, sneaky woman, you. The hell you're not devious! How did you do this?"

She grinned. "I called the Chevy dealer back in the winter and told him I wanted the first one off the line that had all the bells and whistles, and that I'd pay cash on the nail for it. He was very accommodating. I got the email on Monday that said it was here, and asking when would I like to come get it." Lindsey could see Damon was almost drooling on the steering wheel, and when he looked at Lindsey, his vampire features were starting to show. That was the best indication that he was excited about the car.

"Let's get this baby on the road," he said, his voice low.

"We have a baby in the house," Lindsey gently reminded him. "But, I called Melanie and she said she'd be glad to watch Takeelah for a little while. So let me go get her and we'll take her by Mel's house and then we'll get this machine on the Tumlin Gap Road and turn her loose."

Damon was hard put to keep his new toy at the speed limit until they reached Melanie's place. Of course, her husband had to come out and look at the car, too, and admire it. Damon was like a new father, he was so proud of that car. Melanie took the baby inside and Mark, her husband, said, "Take your time. That little girl will be fine here."

"I know, Mark, and we appreciate it," Lindsey said. She waved as Damon backed out of the drive. "Keep your speed down while we're in town, or you'll get arrested," she reminded him.

"I know. I know," he growled.

Finally, they turned on to the Tumlin Gap Road. It had several series of "S" curves, and very little traffic. In short, it was perfect for a speed freak like Damon. He could drive like a psycho on that road, and not worry about hurting anyone, or running into law enforcement. "Hang on tight, babe," he said as he started accelerating. Lindsey was profoundly thankful for a seat belt as he flew through the first series of curves. As a vampire, she didn't get motion sickness anymore, but she knew Damon's speed was deadly for a human's reflexes. He had no problems, naturally.

By the time they got to the highway back to Oneonta, Lindsey was drained. She felt as if she had been on every rollercoaster on the East Coast - and she hated rollercoasters. Her hair was a wreck. The look of absolute happiness on Damon's face made it worth the ride, though. He was so tickled.

"You thrill junkie," she said, as he coasted to a stop at a traffic light. She fumbled in her purse for a hairbrush and tried to tame her windblown hair. "The insurance on this thing is gonna be astronomical, but fortunately, you can afford it," she chuckled. "At least your license says you're thirty now, so it's not like insuring a teenager. How old does Stefan's license say he is?" she asked.

"Twenty-seven, I think. He looks older than seventeen, so it works."

"Yeah. Of course, you both have those kinds of faces where you could be anywhere between twenty-five and forty, so that's an advantage. If your age is hard to determine to start with, it makes it much harder to discern you're not aging at all. I went to school with a kid who looked twenty-five when he was twelve, and he still looks thirty, even though he's a year older than I am. You'd never guess his actual age."

"And then there's you, my hot cougar," Damon said, raising his eyebrows at her.

She laughed. "I don't mind the term. You know that. I just point to the smokin' stud on my arm and say, 'worked for me.' No one knows the difference."

"I'm just not sure I appreciate being thought of as arm candy."

"But you are! If it makes you feel any better, just know that all these women who are thinking of you as my arm candy are also wondering if you're as good in the sack as you look like you are. And of course, you're even better. I do get asked, occasionally, and I tell them they wouldn't believe how good you are. And they wouldn't."

Damon chuckled. "As long as they come away understanding I'm a stud, well, I guess it's not too bad."

"Sheesh. If your ego were any bigger, it'd need its own ZIP code."

"It's not ego if it's true, babe," he shot back. Lindsey just looked heavenward, as if praying for patience. Damon grabbed her hand and kissed it, giving her a smoldering look.

"Keep your mind on your driving, hon. We need to get back to Melanie's in one piece, if you don't mind. Even if we survived the wreck, you'd be pissed for a month if you totaled this thing the first day you drove it."

"Always the pragmatist," he answered.

"You need one pragmatist in your life, sweet pea. Especially one you'll listen to occasionally."

"I don't get by with anything where you're concerned," Damon said, mock grousing.

"Not if I can help it. Somebody has to be willing to sit on you, and if that turns out to be me, well, them's the breaks." Lindsey grinned at him. "It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. Might as well be me."

Damon started laughing. He couldn't help it. "You've had my number for years. I admit it." He pulled into Melanie's driveway.

* * *

Foster parenting was joyfully time-consuming, and Lindsey loved doing it, but she was also working on her other project, with some success. With regret, they said good-bye to a much healthier Takeelah after two weeks, so Lindsey's schedule was free. After being threatened with an open records lawsuit, Whitmore University finally coughed up its financial records, and Caroline sent copies to Lindsey. She spread them all out in her office on the floor and had four different colors of highlighters and colored sticky tabs to reference different purchases and records. She was going through the files from the 1960s, and when she had been working on them nearly around the clock for close to four days, Damon finally came up to check her progress - and to try to get her to rest.

"How goes it?" he asked.

"Great. But macabre. There's no telling how much of this stuff they bought for the science department actually was for the Augustines. I need to get hold of a course catalog from then to see what science classes they actually offered."

"Would any exist?"

"Sure. Probably in their library. Colleges keep stuff like that. Suppose Elena would take a look for us? She told Bonnie she'd help."

"I can text Bonnie and ask her. What do you need?"

"A list of the science courses for 1960-69. Mostly biology. Elena can take pics with her phone and email them to us. I want to see how much of this stuff they needed based on the science courses they offered. I know they didn't have a pre-med program then. That didn't start until the mid 80s, according to the Whitmore website."

Damon nodded. "So what would you do with the records then, once you have the course list?"

"Send a list of this really esoteric sounding stuff, along with the courses, to the staff at _Sanguinem_. They have some doctors on staff who would know what these things are, what they're used for, and how likely Whitmore would be to need them without a pre-med program in place."

"Then what?"

"Continue getting evidence together. I'm still wondering if they were using human test subjects this far back, and I think they were," Lindsey said.

"Why?"

"Because there are purchases for items like nutrition powder - stuff you'd keep on hand to keep your humans from starving to death. Also, what looks to me like a lot of female frogs, which means they may have been doing pregnancy tests. They used female frogs then."

"Really?" Damon didn't know that.

"Yeah. My mom was a nurse, remember, and she told me about it."

"O.K. So this human-vampire conception thing may have gone back to the sixties?"

Lindsey nodded. "Possibly."

"Damn. So then what? How do you prove it? I mean, we've got all these records. What do we do with them?"

"I'm hoping I can get some names of humans, and then I start tracking people down for interviews. That's going to be the worst part, because these women are probably not going to want to talk to me. But see on this page?" She handed him a receipt copy. "It's a $50,000 grant from the Brothers of the Sun Foundation to the science department. And it's not the only one. Fifty grand was a heck of a lot of money then, which means someone extremely wealthy had to have been bankrolling the operation. I emailed Caroline to see if she can check the microfilm of the newspaper to see if the paper ever did a story about such a large grant to the college. My guess is they didn't, because they didn't know. Anywhere else, this would have rated a story and a front page picture. But I'm betting the Whitmore paper never printed a word."

Damon nodded. "O.K. I get all that. So how do we find out who's behind the Sun Foundation?"

"Research and legwork, sweetie. They have to be registered somewhere. And when I find them, I'll have their board members, and then the fun _really_ starts. I suspect I'll find a lot of names on the board who were also on the Board of Trustees at Whitmore. Cover-up central. These people are good - I'll give them that. But I have resources that weren't available in the sixties, and they're obviously not expecting a journalist-turned-vampire to start looking down their back trails. Back to their arrogance causing them to make mistakes." Lindsey rubbed her hands together in glee as she grinned at her handsome husband.

Damon had to laugh. Lindsey had never really stopped writing since they were married, but this was the first time she had an opportunity in a long time to go into full reporter mode, doing research and gathering evidence. When she was a full time reporter, on the rare occasions her editor could convince her to do this kind of project, the results had usually been great. She was a bulldog.

Still, he sat on the floor behind her and pulled her close to his chest. "I know you're like a pig in slop up here with all this stuff, but there's this really lonely man in the house who misses his sexy wife," here he nuzzled her hair, "and who knows that sexy wife needs some rest and more than the few sips of blood she's had. The man is so lonely, in fact, that he's willing to give this beautiful woman a massage and anything else she wants, just to get her to come downstairs to the bedroom to feed, and rest, and give this poor, solitary vampire someone to talk to."

Lindsey kissed Damon and said, "You do pitiful and put-upon so well," she said, but their bond told her that he really was getting lonesome.

"Whatever it takes," he answered. He stood and taking her hand, pulled her to her feet, and then he swept her into his arms. "I'll even carry you." She could have made him put her down, but it was so pleasant allowing him to take care of her that she let him take her into their bedroom and put her on the bed. He disappeared for a couple of minutes, and then brought back a warmed bag of blood. Once Lindsey fed, Damon had her put on her pajamas and had her lie down. He took her hair out of its ponytail and ran his fingers through it and then stripped to his boxer briefs and lay down beside her, snuggling her body to his.

"Happy now?" Lindsey asked as she moved her hand to his hair to scratch his scalp.

He hummed in pleasure for a moment. "I am, thank you. I've missed you, babe. I found out I'm a wimp. I don't sleep as well without you next to me."

"You don't, huh?"

"No. And if I'm a wuss for saying it, then I'll just have to be a wuss, I guess." He kissed her.

"Good thing I'm not the blackmailing type," she answered. "I'd have an armload of ammo just from that one statement." She returned his kiss and snuggled her head into his shoulder, feeling his laughter rumble in his chest. She was asleep before he could form a reply, and after looking at her for a minute, Damon sighed in deep contentment and dozed off, too.

* * *

A week or so later, Lindsey had all the science records indexed through the end of the 1970s. She had proof they were using human women then, because the frogs changed to tests that checked for human pregnancy hormones. Now, she just had to find some of the women. She heard an unfamiliar car pull into the driveway, but knew it wasn't Klaus. She knew how his sportscar sounded. She looked out the window. The vehicle was a sleek, black sedan - maybe an Infiniti or something even pricier. She went downstairs, knowing Damon was in his workshop, but figuring he'd hear the car, too. She heard a polite knock and opened the door to see a man standing on the porch. He had dark hair, warm brown eyes and an air of quiet gentility.

"Hullo. You must be Lindsey," he said.

* * *

 **Da-dum! Who could be at the door? Any guesses? I suspect most of you will get it right off the bat. So let me know what you think so far! Only takes a couple of seconds!**


	3. Chapter 3: Information, Please

**A/N: Hello, my dears! You all are SUCH good guessers! Not like I went to a heck of a lot of trouble to hide the guest's identity, though. So what brings him to Alabama? Read on to find out! And spoiler alert: sweet, lemony goodness is your reward for reading! So read on, and please, review, won't you? Thank you!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Information, Please**

Elijah Mikaelson looked all around at the white farmhouse before he went up to knock on the door. He expected to see Damon appear any moment, but all was quiet. The large maple tree in the yard shaded the porch and he imagined it was quite a spectacle in the fall when the leaves changed. He looked over to the large carport and saw a new black Camaro - obviously Damon's car - and a sensible looking sedan. Another car was under a cover. It was probably Damon's old blue Camaro, Elijah thought.

He heard footsteps and muffled words, and hid a smile. Lindsey obviously didn't wish to be disturbed. The door opened and Elijah got his first look at the woman who melted Damon Salvatore's cold, diabolical heart, and turned him into something resembling a human. Nicklaus was right. She looked nothing like anyone Elijah would guess Damon might date, let alone marry. As Nick had also noted, she had a different look about her, rather like the women of the Tudor era.

When he greeted her, she raised an eyebrow and her coppery eyes narrowed. He was being quite thoroughly assessed, and again, as Nick mentioned, he felt rather like she saw much deeper than anything surface level. "And you would be?" she asked, her voice cool, suspicious.

"Oh," he said, smiling. "My apologies. I'm Elijah Mikaelson - Klaus' brother. I'm very interested in speaking with you about the Augustines."

Lindsey nodded slowly. "O.K. Come on and sit on the porch. I'll go find Damon. Would you care for something to drink? I have iced tea, sweet or unsweetened, with lemon, or bourbon."

He sat down. "That would be lovely. Unsweetened tea, if you please, with lemon."

"Back in a minute," she said. Lindsey went to the shop and said, "Damon. Get in here. Elijah just arrived." She didn't yell, knowing he could hear her. She heard a muffled curse, and he popped out of his workshop and sped to the house, right behind his wife.

"What does he want?" he mouthed.

Lindsey shrugged. "Augustines," she mouthed back.

Damon harrumphed and grabbed a towel from the laundry room to wipe the sweat off his face. He even put on a clean T-shirt.

Lindsey grinned at that. "Go, be sociable and I'll bring some tea."

He nodded and walked to the porch. "Elijah. It's been a while," he said.

The Original stood and inclined his head. "Damon. Good to see you. My, but you do have a lovely situation here," he said.

"Thanks. Belonged to Lindsey's grandparents. Have a seat. What can we do for you?" Elijah was one of the few vampires Damon actually respected.

"I'm here about the Augustines, but it can wait until your beautiful wife returns. Nick was rather impressed with her, which says something, since so little impresses him. He said she has fire and a great deal of intelligence."

Damon actually grinned. "For once, he told the truth. But judge for yourself," he said as she came to the porch and handed Elijah a glass, then Damon.

"So, about the Augustines," Lindsey said as she sat next to Damon. "I hear you were a guest for a while. I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I'm just glad I was able to get away. My reason for being here is that, before I escaped, I was able to get hold of quite a large cache of their archives. I hoped someone would be able to do something with them, and now, here you are." He reached into his pocket and handed her a flash drive. "It's all on there."

Lindsey took the drive and said, "How in the world did you get this?"

"It wasn't easy," he said as he sipped his tea.

"I'm sure it wasn't," Lindsey replied. "What all is on here?"

"Research records, financial records, photographs - some of which are extremely disturbing, I must warn you - and perhaps most useful, interview transcripts with their human victims. Obviously, there's nothing linking all this directly to Whitmore, or records that they received money from the _school_ , but I trust you can come up with the connecting information. Nick - Klaus - said you were very resourceful."

"Is that so? What made him say that, I wonder? But this - this is everything. I may be able to blow the whole thing open with just this. Does it contain the names of the researchers?"

"It does. A complete list from about 1950 onwards."

Lindsey and Damon looked at each other. "What's your ideal outcome?" Damon asked Elijah.

"Complete annihilation, but I'll gladly settle for putting the program totally out of business." He raised his eyebrows, and Lindsey decided she liked him.

"I think we have a common goal, then, Elijah," Lindsey said. "Would you like to come upstairs to my office and I'll show you what I've got so far, that I've been able to wrest from Whitmore?"

"I'd be honored," he answered, and followed her upstairs. Damon went too. He trusted Elijah not to harm Lindsey, but the alpha male in him didn't much like his mate alone with any other man, with the possible exception of Stefan. He didn't mind Stefan too much.

Lindsey went through the financial records she had, showing Elijah the common items, the list of things she planned to send to _Sanguinem_ , and all the payments disbursed to the Brotherhood of the Sun, along with all the names of those on the Board of Trustees throughout the years.

He gave her a warm grin - she got the impression he didn't smile like that too often. "Lindsey, my dear, this is truly incredible. You know, we've talked for years and years about taking out these bastards, but you've actually put together a blueprint for doing it. If we'd only known what we really needed was a journalist all this time!"

Lindsey chuckled. "Anyone provided with this evidence could do what I've done. Nothing spectacular, here."

"I beg to disagree with you. The difference is you knew which records to ask for, and how to get them. Most people wouldn't. And then, you know what to search for in the records themselves. I took the liberty of looking up some of your old stories online. You're a gifted writer."

Damon beamed at this praise of his wife's abilities, but she demurred, as she always did. "Thank you. But there are writers still working who are much better than I am. I just write people stories."

Elijah cocked his head at her. "Normally, the words 'modest' and 'vampire' don't go together," he said, but her modesty was genuine.

"Don't I know it?" she answered, shooting a look at her husband, "But I'm just being truthful. I love to write, and I'm a decent writer, but there are many who are much better."

"We shall have to agree to disagree on that point, then. So how do you plan to use this to bring down the Augustine program?"

"Well, since I'm still a pretty new vampire, I still look my age. I mean, in human years, I'm 47, and I just look a little young. I'm believable as an unaltered human. I can make the case to the current Board of Trustees that the Brotherhood of the Sun has been using human subjects without their consent. And if I can get the aforementioned human subjects to submit sworn affidavits, then I can present those to the Board and tell them a highly illegal operation is going on, and it would be best if they shut it down."

"What would you use as leverage?" Elijah asked.

She shrugged. "The truth. What kind of irreparable damage would it do to the reputation of the college if it got out they were first, experimenting on humans, and second, implying vampires exist, and using taxpayer money to fund said wild experiments? Can you imagine the public outcry? Parents would be pulling their kids out of school, state legislators would cut funding to the college, and every nutcase this side of the Mississippi River would descend on the campus, looking for vampires. And then, when the human survivors start filing the federal lawsuits for everything on the books - and start collecting - the state could very well close down the school. And then, there's all the civil suits against the researchers still living, to say nothing of criminal charges. One story in the Charlottesville paper would do it. And then we sit back and watch the fireworks."

Damon hadn't asked too many questions about how the actual takedown might happen, but hearing Lindsey describe it in completely realistic terms, he realized what a virtual bloodbath would take place if even a whisper of this got out to the press. People would probably picket the college, and the resignations in the administration would follow in short order. It was diabolically brilliant. Better than anything Klaus could have possibly come up with. Lindsey was right. Most vampires had been out of human society too long to think about these things. But she hadn't. He shook his head. "Babe, that's genius."

"I agree," Elijah said. "When you get all this information collated and compiled, I'd like you to put together a presentation. I want to do something we don't often do: call a conference of every vampire currently in the U.S. and present this information to them. They need to know. Some may have information you'll want to present to the Board of Trustees. But we all need to be alert for their agents."

Damon was a little wide-eyed. "A conference, Elijah? Are you sure that would be a good idea?" Vampires were volatile creatures. Get enough of them in one place… It could be disastrous.

The Original grinned at Damon. "A good idea? Well, I suppose that depends on your point of view. However, I think it would be a very necessary thing. This affects all of us. I'm betting nearly every vampire in the country has a friend or loved one who suffered at the hands of the Augustines - assuming they weren't victims themselves."

"Well, _Sanguinem_ has agreed to put the word out, asking other vamps to speak up about what they, or their loved ones endured, and to email their recollections to me," Lindsey said. "But Elijah, if you decide to get this many vampires together for a conference, you have to impress on them that they absolutely cannot go to the Whitmore campus and start exacting revenge. They can't. That would jeopardize everything, plus it would be impossible to cover up. You couldn't keep that under wraps. And unless you and Klaus are the ones to tell them, then they won't listen."

Damon nodded as she spoke. "She's right about that, Elijah. Otherwise, that campus is gonna be fang-deep in vamps, and they won't be real choosy about who dies."

"I know. We've talked about that and for once, Nick and I are in agreement about something. It took four hundred years, but there you are. Don't worry. We'll make it clear that the Augustines will be held accountable." Elijah gave a small shrug. "I hope no one goes rogue, but I suppose we'll deal with that when the time comes." He stood up from his seat on the floor and dusted his trousers off. He turned to Lindsey with a smile. "I'm told by those in the know that you're an excellent cook. Would it be terribly rude of me to invite myself for dinner? It is, I realize, but could you oblige me?"

Lindsey grinned at the Original. "Somebody knows me well. No better way to get on my good side than to compliment my cooking. Of course, you're welcome to stay for supper. What do you like?"

He thought about it. "I don't eat a great deal of human food anymore, but being in New Orleans as long as I have, I've never lost my taste for Cajun and creole cooking, or for Southern food in general. Odd as it sounds, I have a fondness for peas - either black-eyed or field peas."

She laughed. "O.K. I can definitely find some peas. I'll have to go to the store, so I'll do that now. Get Damon to show you what he's been working on in his wood shop. He's very talented."

"I will," Elijah answered.

While she was gone, Damon did show Elijah his projects, and the Original was admiring. "Lindsey was right. You do have a gift for it, Damon. Who'd have known?" As they walked back to the house, he looked around him. "You've landed on your feet. You realize this."

"You'd better believe I realize it. I don't deserve it, that's for sure."

"Do any of us? But Lindsey has something about her - a gentleness of spirit. But there's a toughness there, too."

"God, yes, she's tough. She'd say she's not, but whooo. She is, too. You bet she is," Damon agreed.

"And the gentleness?" Elijah looked keenly at Damon, who simply nodded. "I see." And he did. The look on Damon's face told him everything he needed to know. "Pour me another glass of that excellent tea and tell me the whole story of how you two got together. I hear it's fascinating."

"Where do you get your news?" Damon asked as he handed Elijah a glass.

"Caroline Forbes is always informative."

Damon chuckled. "Oh, always."

* * *

Lindsey settled herself in at her computer to view the files on the flash drive Elijah gave her. She looked at the names of the researchers and chillbumps rose up on her skin. Every one had been on the Whitmore College Board of Trustees at some time. There was the connection. Now, for the finances. She looked at the administrators for the Brotherhood of the Sun trust, as well as members of the foundation itself - again, researchers, and names she also recognized as past presidents of the college - right up to, and including the current college president, Provost, and dean of the College of Science. If this wasn't a smoking gun, one didn't exist. "The mother lode," she breathed. This was a reporter's dream: names, connections, financial records, findings with the names of the researchers, including direct notes on their human test subjects. Who had Elijah compelled - or killed - to get all this information? She didn't want to know.

"Good stuff?" Damon said from the doorway, startling Lindsey, who was so absorbed in her reading she hadn't heard him come up the steps.

"Incredible. I'd never have gotten my hands on this on my own. The other stuff is peripheral," she said, waving her hand at the organized files on the floor. "This is the real thing. Everything anyone could possibly ask for as far as taking down the Augustines goes? It's all here. Every last thing."

"Wow." He looked over her shoulder.

"These guys? Members of the Brotherhood of the Sun board and administrators of the trust? The current president of Whitmore University, the Provost and the dean of the College of Science. Interview transcripts with human subjects, some as recently as six months ago."

"Damn," Damon said.

"Yeah. Really. Makes me wonder if Elijah didn't get himself captured just to get this information."

Damon raised his eyebrows. "With Elijah, you never know. You just never know." He picked up a sheaf of papers she printed out and settled on the futon to look through them.

The office was silent for a while, except for Lindsey tapping on the keyboard and Damon flipping through the pages of the printouts. Then, Lindsey made a strangled noise and he looked up just in time to see her slide out of her chair, unconscious. Damon flashed across the room to her and started to pick her up, and looked at the image on the computer screen. His first thought was gratitude that it was in black and white. The picture was of him, lying strapped to an exam table, fingers on both hands missing and with empty eye sockets.

* * *

When Lindsey came to, Damon had her cradled in his arms across his lap. He had his cheek next to hers and was crooning softly to her. She took one look at him and burst into wild sobs. He held her close. "I'm all right now, Lindsey. Baby, I'm O.K. Shhh, honey," he whispered to her, stroking her hair and her back. As far as he could remember, Lindsey was the only person, except Stefan, and maybe Elena, who had ever cried over something bad happening to him. It still made him uncomfortable, but he knew now that it meant Lindsey loved him deeply.

Finally, she drew a long, shuddering breath and hiccuped. She took Damon's left hand and softly kissed each fingertip, then each knuckle, his palm and then his wedding ring. She put his hand to her cheek and put hers over it. She looked into his eyes, and raised her hand to his face, tracing her thumb across his brow, then to his temple. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a whisper. "Ssshhh now," he breathed against her mouth. Damon clung to a few habits of his upbringing, and one was always having a handkerchief in his pocket. He produced it and dabbed the soft cotton against her damp cheeks. He wasn't as proficient at transmitting feelings through their bond as Lindsey was, but he did his best to send warmth, love, comfort, reassurance to his mate. It must have worked, because she gave him a watery smile and held him close. "I love you, too, sweetheart," she said, her voice still husky with tears.

Damon stood with her still in his arms. "Come on. You're going to feed, and bathe, and I'm going to rub your back and your feet, and I'm going to hold you all night and keep the bad dreams away. You're wearing yourself out with this project, mentally if nothing else."

Lindsey nodded, thinking how not many people would recognize the Damon Salvatore who excelled in caring so tenderly for his mate. His _mate_. Nothing gave her as much happiness as knowing Damon was hers, by blood and by vows. She sighed into his neck.

"Yep, I'm yours, lock, stock and fangs," he said teasingly as he carried her into their bathroom. He sat her on the vanity chair. "Don't you move." He left and returned with a bag of warmed blood. He handed it to her and said, "Drink every drop while I run you a bath." Damon went to the bathtub and started filling it, adding a few drops of her favorite cucumber-mint bubble bath. He knew she didn't like heavy fragrances, even before she was turned. So the bottle he bought for Christmas was a hit in every sense of the word. He went back to her, threw away the blood bag, waited while she brushed her teeth, then whisked her T-shirt over her head and picked her up and carried her to the tub. She finished undressing and he handed her into the tub and she sank gratefully into the warm water.

"Now you just relax," Damon said and Lindsey murmured her assent. The water soothed her and she was nearly asleep when she felt her husband's hands and a washcloth, bathing her.

"You don't have to do that," she said, eyes still closed.

"Hush."

"Mother hen," she teased.

"Hush."

Lindsey gave herself up to the feeling of Damon washing her. It always amazed her how he loved taking care of her. He was so wonderful. He picked her up out of the tub, dried her off, brushed her hair and carried her to the bed, placing her there. He started massaging her back, and Lindsey moaned softly at the feel of his hands on her skin. Her blood started to heat and Damon chuckled, low. He could smell her arousal. He drifted his hands to her hips.

"You start that, and you know where it's going to end up," Lindsey murmured.

"Maybe I'm counting on that," he answered.

Lindsey turned over and kissed her husband. She put her hands in his hair and pressed kisses all over his face. "I can't tell you how much you mean to me."

"Likewise, sweetheart," he answered. "Mmmm," he sighed over the skin on her throat and shoulders. "Your skin is so delicious." He left fading love bites all over her neck, almost wishing they would stay, so they would mark her as his.

"My dear vampire cannibal," Lindsey teased, and Damon just snickered, and dragged his tongue and mouth to her nipples, where he gently nipped and sucked them. He brought his mouth back to her earlobe and swirled his tongue around it. She angled her head to give him more access and sighed deeply.

"Something wrong?" he murmured.

"Nope. Just wondering how a man packs so much sexy hotness into one body."

She felt him smile against her neck. "It's a gift."

"Must be." She kissed him. "I'm just glad I'm the beneficiary of all this deliciousness."

He raised his head and the grin he gave her ignited every nerve ending she had. "Deliciousness, huh?" His voice was low, purring.

"Oh, yeah," she answered.

Damon stroked her center and mouthed her breast again. "Should I make you come like this, or with my mouth?" he whispered, slipping one finger inside her heat. "Tell me."

Lindsey writhed underneath his touch. "Don't care," she managed.

He stopped touching her. "No, no. You have to tell me," he said, his tone smug.

Lindsey's eyes opened and she gathered her wits. "You are so far beyond evil, it's not even funny. Stop messing with me, you blue-eyed demon. Not in the mood for your foolishness tonight." She followed up her statement with a very sharp tug on Damon's hair.

"Ouch!" He looked at his wife. Irritation as well as desire glinted in her eyes. "I wish I could call you a brown-eyed demoness, but I can't. Guess I'll just have to give in." He eased himself inside her body and she wrapped her arms around him, bringing him closer. As Damon moved, Lindsey chanted his name and brought his mouth to hers again, loving his taste. He found his release first, then brought her to a sustained climax, whispering erotically to her. His fangs found her neck just as hers found his skin, and the crescendo claimed them both.

They finally relaxed in each other's arms, and Damon brushed his lips against Lindsey's forehead. "I oughta know better than to provoke my warrior angel," he said. "Never ends well."

"Remember that," Lindsey shot back, but there was laughter in her voice.

* * *

After seeing the picture of Damon chained to that exam table, Lindsey was more determined than ever to bring down the Augustines, and if she had to tear apart Whitmore University to do it, she didn't really care. She naturally had sympathy for the students and staff who had no part in the scheme, but had nothing but contempt for those monsters who were participants. Personal accounts from other vamps were starting to come in, and each story was more awful than the last one. Damon was corresponding with an old friend who was in captivity with him in the 50s. Enzo's stories were truly disturbing, but Lindsey was thankful he was willing to share them.

There was one member of the Board of Trustees in particular who stoked Lindsey's ire, but they couldn't connect him directly to the Brotherhood of the Sun, or even the science department. But Lindsey had no doubt he was neck-deep in it. She'd been a reporter too long not to trust her gut instincts. And Clinton Foley was a rat. She could feel it in her bones. He was tall, good-looking, with wavy, dark blond hair and blue eyes, and a frat boy smile. His family had always supported Whitmore and contributed heavily to scholarship programs. Foley was ostensibly a businessman in Charlottesville, but everyone knew he didn't actually run his operations - he had "people" to do it for him, while he played social climber. He was a snake, though. There were people online who had worked for him, had been fired for spurious reasons, and had plenty to say about him as an employer. But he came from old, old money, so no one was very willing to take him on. Not directly, anyway. Well, eventually, Lindsey would find the connection and she would bring him down, just like the others.

"Who's that?" Damon asked, as he came in to see Lindsey searching Foley's background.

"That is one Clinton Marshall Foley IV, Charlottesville businessman, Whitmore Trustee and rat extraordinaire. I just can't make the connections to the Augustines. But he's one of them, sure as I'm sitting here."

"Why do you say that?"

"Something about him sets my teeth on edge. Makes my fangs itch. Here. Watch this little speech he gave," she said.

Damon watched the speech, which ran about two minutes. The man went on largely about diversification and "dynamic synergies," but actually said very little. He narrowed his eyes. He understood immediately what Lindsey meant. The man was not a nice person. He had a "nice" veneer, but as Damon well knew, veneers were just that, and could be discarded in a moment. "He's a prick," was the assessment. "I see what you're talking about. He's a psychopath, but he's subtle about it."

"My feelings exactly."

Damon leaned his elbows on Lindsey's desk and peered at the screen. "Well, in my case, takes on to know one."

Lindsey smacked her husband on the back of his head. "You are NOT a psychopath! You have strong feelings and emotions! You may not always admit to them, or even understand them, but you have them. You have the capacity to be selfless; a psychopath doesn't. You can feel guilt and remorse; a psychopath cannot. You can and do put the welfare of others before your own. I know all about your checkered, ugly past, but you're better than that. Don't ever let me hear that come out of your mouth again in reference to yourself, or you'll be the one hanging from his heels from the maple tree! Do we understand each other?" Lindsey's eyes bored into his.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips. She would cheerfully agree he was a smart ass, and even arrogant and conceited, but usually followed it with, "but you can do something about that," or similar. She believed in him. Her faith in him never failed to amaze him.

Damon sat on the futon and remembered when he appeared naked and dripping wet in front of Elena and asked, "What if I was indecent?" Her response had been to squeal, throw him something to cover himself and hide her eyes. It had been very gratifying.

Trying the same thing with Lindsey hadn't produced quite the same results, though. It was when they were still in Nashville.

 _Lindsey walked into the bedroom to dress. A moment later, a very naked, wet Damon emerged from the bathroom. "You really ought to mention when you come into a room. What if I was indecent?" He stood smirking at her. Her heart rate increased, but her face betrayed nothing._

 _She assessed him frankly. "First, it's 'were,' not 'was.' Subjunctive mood. Second, dry off. You're dripping on the carpet. Third, indecent is a constant state of being with you. You're never_ _ **not**_ _indecent. Moot point. Anything else?"_

 _His shoulders sagged a little as he looked at her. Getting one past Lindsey was nearly impossible._

" _I said dry off. Or go back in the bathroom and drip on the tile. I don't want to step on wet carpet for a week." Her tone brooked no argument._

 _With a disgusted snort, Damon turned and went back to the bathroom, but he could feel Lindsey ogling him all the way, so it wasn't a total loss._

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"How you've never been afraid to call me out for anything," he said, remembering how Lindsey had looked at him, while Elena did everything she could not to look at him. It drew another line, reminding him again that Elena was a girl then and Lindsey was a woman. "When do you think you'll have a presentation ready for Elijah?"

"A month, maybe. I've still got a lot of writing to do. I want to get as many of the human victims interviewed as I can while they're still willing to talk to me. I don't want to use compulsion. They're much easier to relate to when they're not compelled. And I want even vamps to be able to relate to these people. If they see the unaltered humans as fellow victims, it'll be a lot easier to get them to cooperate."

"Cooperate for what?" Damon asked.

"Cooperate in not blowing through that campus like a hurricane. We have to do this carefully. I want to do the presentation to the vamps, then I'll get an appointment with the Board of Trustees. I'll use an edited version, obviously - only the human interviews. That'll shake them up, but I'll have to go to the Department of Higher Education with the information, I know. That's the only way to get the Board of Trustees out of power. The whole administration will have to be reappointed. Faculty's probably OK. But all the academic deans, the president, provost, controller - they'll all have to go."

"I thought you didn't want all this to get out because of the threat of exposure?" Damon's tone was questioning.

"Ideally, no, but the more I read about these characters, the more I'm convinced that nothing less than a total housecleaning is going to do any good. The Higher Education people can always be compelled to say it's because of mishandled funds, which is the truth. I'm certain all these rich little old ladies who've contributed to scholarships all these years in memory of family members never dreamed part of their contributions were helping experiment on helpless humans. We can shut down the program on those grounds alone." Lindsey was ticking off the points on her fingers. "The records are clear. Money earmarked for scholarships was diverted to the Brotherhood Trust. That's fraud and malfeasance. Violates every ethics statute on the books. I've got nearly every one of the present group of Trustees dead to rights for numerous ethics violations, along with the administration."

Damon laughed out loud. "You weren't kidding when you told Klaus you'd get these bastards."

"Not in the least. Of course, Elijah's treasure trove unlocked the whole thing, but I knew I'd get them one way or the other. This has been going on too long to keep it completely hidden. It's not possible to keep it totally under wraps. Too many people involved for too many years."

"What about the ones who aren't on the Board anymore?" he asked.

"If they're still contributing to the Brotherhood, I've got them, at least to intimidate them. And as long as they're not still on vervain, we can pay them visits and make sure they spend their money in wiser ways." She grinned, fangs showing.

"You're devious and I _like_ it!" Damon exclaimed, but all he got for his troubles was a derisive snort, as Lindsey turned back to her work.

* * *

"Well, she says she's making progress. I have to believe she is," Damon said to Stefan over the phone.

"She won't talk to you about it?"

Damon chuckled. "It's like she's preparing a report for the CIA. She's been corresponding with some of the human survivors, and amazingly, they agreed to help, without compulsion! But Lindsey has a way with people. They trust her."

"Yeah, she can get people to do the most unexpected things," Stefan said wryly. Caroline snickered in the background.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. She had me a long time ago. So what are your feelings on this whole vampire conference thing?"

Damon could almost hear his younger brother shrug. "I don't know. It could be good."

"Or it could be a disaster," Damon replied gloomily.

"Always the town optimist," Stefan teased. "Seriously, if we're all working with a common goal, I think it might be helpful. You knew that Elijah hired Caroline to plan the event, don't you?"

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Seriously? I pity you. You won't have a minute's peace until it's all over. But if anyone was ever born to plan a party, it's Vampire Barbie. And since he wants all supernaturals to be there, she's the right one for the job. She's on good terms with the witches and the mutts, too."

"Not crazy about the idea of werewolves being there," Stefan said.

"Long as it isn't the full moon... So remind Caroline to check the moon phases when she gets some dates in mind."

"Good thinking."

"That's your big brother. Always thinking ahead!" Damon teased in turn.

"So you really don't have any idea what Lindsey's presentation or whatever is going to look like?"

"Not really. I know she's working on something with PowerPoint and video editing because she's been on the phone with some of her photographer friends from the paper. One of the photographers from the Birmingham paper came by a week ago and they were in her office all day, doing something. She said if you all would come down the day before we're due in Atlanta – that's where we're doing the conference – she'd show us all at one time. Must be something pretty involved. She bought a new laptop to handle all the graphics and programs she wants to run. Blew a wad on it and this huge monitor. But hey, not like we don't have it to spend, and she's been a pit bull with this project. It's been kind of fun to watch. Even when Andie and I were seeing each other, she didn't do these kinds of projects. So this is a new thing." Damon tactfully refrained from mentioning that Andie's sad demise came at Stefan's hands when he was bound to Klaus. Another reason Lindsey wanted to nail the Original's hide to the wall.

Stefan sighed anyway. Of the many kills he had to his name, that one might have been the most unnecessary. He truly regretted it. Andie's only crime was caring for his brother. "I'm really interested in seeing what Lindsey comes up with," he said.

"Me too. She's got that brain in high gear and whatever comes of all this should be good. She said that stuff Elijah gave her was pure gold. Said it blew everything wide open. So I'm looking forward to it. I'm really looking forward to when she hits the Board of Trustees at Whitmore with all this. She's talking about taking it to the Virginia Department of Higher Education. Maybe to the federal level. She says she got the goods on the whole lot of them." Damon laughed when he thought of the mass chaos that was going to cause.

"Well, you're right. It should definitely be interesting," Stefan replied. He was intrigued, and Caroline was beside herself with curiosity, but they would have to wait and see.

Upstairs, Lindsey watched the final minutes of her 90-minute presentation roll by on the computer screen. She nodded in satisfaction. "This is gonna tear their little funhouse down," she said out loud.

* * *

 **Well? Can I get a review? Help me out here, my peeps! :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Conference Call

**A/N: So you're excited about a vampire conference, eh? Well, here's the first part of it! For those who've read "Party Like It's 1986," this is a few months before that happened, so Jake hasn't met Elle, yet. Just a reminder. Thank you, always, so much, to those who have followed, faved and reviewed this story! I truly appreciate you taking the time to do so. Have fun, and keep those reviews, comments, ideas, etc., coming in!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Conference Call**

 **June 2016**

The last place Lindsey Salvatore wanted to be was at a convention center/hotel outside Atlanta with 200 other vampires. They might be "her" kind now, but their unpredictability and penchant for violence still scared her. At least Klaus and Elijah had laid down the law about eating the staff - small meals were fine, but strictly on a catch, eat, compel, release basis. She and Damon were next door to Caroline and Stefan, which made her feel a little better. There was even a small complement of witches attending, along with a few werewolves. Thankfully, the wolves were on the other side of the hotel. But they were all interested in bringing down the Augustines. Lindsey knew they had the goods to do it, but she was still nervous about making the main presentations.

Lindsey was glad Elijah was attending. She genuinely liked him. He teased her and she teased him, too. She kind of wondered if he and Elena would get together. Elijah seemed to care about the younger woman a great deal.

With Caroline as event planner, the first event was a casual reception before the presentations started. It was mostly for the vampires in attendance, although any of the supernaturals were welcome. As usual, Caroline had everything beautifully organized, Lindsey thought as she stood in the room and looked around.

Someone called her name and before she could react, she was swept into a hug and kiss. "Jakob! You made it! I'm so glad to see you. It's been too long!" Lindsey exclaimed.

Jakob held Lindsey away from him and looked at her with a huge grin. "My God, but being a vamp agrees with you. You're the most beautiful woman here. I'm so glad you decided to transition, and that the cancer didn't get you. I was mighty upset when Damon told me about it." He hugged her again. "I've missed you, you feisty little hellcat."

"Stop groping my wife or I'll snap your neck," came Damon's voice from behind.

Jakob looked over at Damon. "Uh-oh. The ball and chain just showed up," he said teasingly. He released Lindsey and he and Damon embraced in a rough hug. "Good to see you, man."

"You too. What was it you were calling my woman? A feisty hellcat?"

"Hey, did I lie?" Jakob answered, his eyes twinkling.

"Well, no..." Damon began, when Lindsey said, "Enough. Jakob's one of about maybe ten vamps here we can trust. Let's not start whittling down the numbers. Jake, the guy in the light blue shirt next to the main table is Stefan. The blonde next to him is his fiancee, Caroline. Next to Caroline is Bonnie Bennett. She did our daylight tokens. Next to her is Elena."

Jakob's eyebrows went straight up. " _That_ Elena? Shit." He looked her over. "She's beautiful. Can't hold a candle to you, Lindsey, but she is beautiful."

"Oh, you, Jake. You're worse than Damon," she answered, but she blushed.

The blush irritated her husband, but once again, he was reminded that every woman deserved to feel like the most beautiful creature in the room. He knew Jakob would have gladly come for Lindsey any time, and that knowledge irked him a little, but hell - it wasn't like she was going back to Jake's room.

Jake knew he was getting under Damon's skin, but he didn't care. The man needed to remember how special his wife was. "I'm looking forward to your presentation, Lindsey. I knew as soon as I got the email about it, that this thing had your fingerprints all over it. Lindsey Salvatore - reporter on the beat!"

Lindsey chuckled. "I'll admit, it was one of those things that was deadly serious, but a heck of a lot of fun. My reporter muscles were getting a little flabby. Needed to work them out. I think we've got 'em on the ropes now."

"I hope so. When are the sessions?"

"I'm doing two - one in the morning and one just after sunset tomorrow night. That way, everyone will have a chance to come, and hopefully, it will keep the most antagonistic elements away from each other. Then, free time on Saturday until the ball. I could shoot Caroline, but she insisted there should be some kind of formal event."

"Had my tux pressed special," Jake said, "So save one dance for me."

"I will. But I seriously doubt you'll be lacking company," Lindsey answered. She kissed his cheek and said, "It's so good to see you. Let me go see what Caroline wants before she breaks something waving at me!"

She and Damon went to Caroline. "Everything looks great," Lindsey said. "Thanks for making sure there was enough human food for those of us who still like to eat." She picked up a crab cake and nibbled on it.

Caroline chuckled. "You're welcome. The blood-laced punch is pretty good, if I do say so myself. Even Stefan can drink it. It's not that strong."

"Good to know," Lindsey said. "Hey, Bonnie. Haven't seen you since you got here. Have a good trip down?"

"I did. Came in with a couple of coven members. They didn't want to come to this reception, but they would like to meet you."

"Really? I'd like to meet them, too, then. They know I'm not interested in eating them, right?"

"Yeah, they know."

Lindsey grinned at her and then turned to Elena. "Good to see you, Elena. I'm glad you could make it. This project couldn't have succeeded without your research and being eyes and ears on location. Thank you so much for all your help."

"Um, you're welcome," she said. The sight of Lindsey's engagement and wedding rings still stung a little. But it was tough to be bitchy to someone determined to be nice to you.

Caroline pulled Lindsey to the next table. "How do you like the flower arrangements?"

"They look great. Very bright and eye-catching," Lindsey answered and then saw Damon talking to a very buxom blonde woman. She looked at Caroline. "Who is that?" she said, low enough that only Caroline could hear.

"Portia. Very old vampire." Stefan had told Caroline who she was.

Damon kept backing up a step, and the blonde vampire kept decreasing the space. Lindsey could tell her husband wanted the woman gone, but he didn't want to be rude and cause a disturbance, either. Elijah had said the "no fighting" rule would be strictly enforced.

"Lindsey, you're looking a little peeved," Caroline said. Actually, her friend looked like a tornado about to touch down, but oddly, there were no vamp characteristics showing. Damn, but that woman's control was something else, Caroline thought.

"I _am_ a little peeved." Lindsey's voice was loud enough to carry to her husband and the woman currently molesting him. "That's _my_ husband, and that blonde heifer needs to quit waving her udders at him."

Caroline nearly burst out laughing. She knew Damon called his wife a "kick ass steel magnolia," and now she knew why. She saw Damon's eyes change when Lindsey's words hit his ears, and he suddenly looked like he was about to laugh, too. "Go get her, girlfriend," she said to Lindsey.

"Watch this." Lindsey sauntered over to her husband, and very obviously, slipped her right arm around his waist, snuck her hand into the back pocket of his jeans, and incredibly, started massaging his rear end, right there in front of God and everybody. "Hey sugar. What'cha doin'?" She melted into his side.

"Just chatting with Portia," he said, hanging on to her as if his life depended on it.

"That's nice. Hi Portia. I'm Lindsey - Salvatore," she said, and casually patted Damon's hand so her wedding ring was visible. "So glad to meet you."

"Likewise," the woman replied, in a tone saying it was anything but. "So you and Damon are married?"

"Mmmm-hmm. Be two years in November, and I still can hardly let him out of my sight. I mean, can you blame me?" she purred.

Damon had to hand it to his wife. She proved once again she was the smartest woman he'd ever met. She swooped in, staked her territory - right on his ass, no less - and dared Portia to protest, all without a drop of blood spilled. "She can't get enough of me," he said with his signature smirk.

Lindsey wrinkled her nose at him. "I sure can't. Especially when you do that - thing."

"What thing is that?" he said, his eyes hot on hers.

"You know - that thing you do. Need a memory refresher?"

"I just might," he said, and then grinned at Portia. "See you," he said and led Lindsey away.

The blonde vampire was fuming when she heard a voice behind her. "It wouldn't have worked anyway, Portia love."

"And why is that, Nicklaus?" she spat.

"Because, duck, they're blood mated. Damon's not going to stray, believe it or not, and Lindsey would stake you if you tried anything with her husband. Of course, knowing what I do about that woman, she'd stake you for touching Damon at all, bond or not."

"She is a very new vampire, still," Portia said, in her heavy Scandinavian accent.

"She is, but she's absolutely fearless. Not stupid, but fearless nonetheless. I really would leave them alone, or you'll have to deal with my dear brother - and you know how that turned out the last time."

Portia tossed her head. "There are others here who are more worthy of my time," she harrumphed. Then, she looked at Klaus. "Perhaps you, Nicklaus? Would you care for some company this weekend?"

Klaus kissed Portia's hand. "Sorry love, but I have to stay focused. I appreciate the offer, though." He smiled and walked away, leaving the woman fuming.

Lindsey led Damon to the room next to the official reception room. This space was much smaller. She kissed him and he laughed, "Oh, babe. You took the wind right out of Portia's sails. I heard what you said to Caroline about her udders. So did she. Priceless." He kissed her, leaving her breathless.

"I have to make sure none of these skanks even attempt to make time with you. Southern women take care of those kinds of problems," Lindsey replied.

"So what 'thing' were you talking about in there?" Damon said, his voice low and sensual.

"Everything, hon. Absolutely everything."

He put his hands on her hips. "Want a refresher right here and now?"

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Behave yourself. You know me better than that."

Damon rubbed his body against hers. "Hey. Spice things up a little," he whispered.

"Hmmph. Not likely. I can think of other varieties of spice. Public sex isn't on the menu. It's enough for me to walk around with you, knowing most of the females in that room wish they were me, and also knowing they're wondering how I managed to catch you. It's a head rush, believe me."

Damon chuckled, which always made Lindsey's blood heat. She was suddenly against the wall and his mouth was descending on hers. She threaded her hands through his thick, soft hair and returned his kiss with equal enthusiasm. "I liked that back pocket thing. Sexy as hell," he murmured. And it was. Lindsey wasn't much on lots of PDA, so having her hand in his pocket, touching him like that, in front of all those people made him hot.

"She needed to know what time it was, so to speak," Lindsey answered. "And it was time for her to step back from _my_ man and go find somebody else to bother."

"Grrrr," he growled playfully. "I love it when you go all possessive on me."

"I waited a long time for you. I'm not about to let some bimbo vamp put her hands on you, just because she's so old she smells moldy." That was a large exaggeration, but saying it made Lindsey feel better.

Damon laughed out loud. "Never any doubt where you stand on any subject, is there, sweetheart?"

"You know there's not. But we'd better get back in there."

"Unfortunately. Stuff like this helps me remember why I like living in the country. I've either been in a fistfight with, or actively threatened at least half the people in there. Of course, they've done the same to me, but it doesn't make for a very comfortable atmosphere."

Lindsey tucked her hand into his arm. "Well, this is why we work on taking the high road - so we don't create more bad blood."

"I know it. Doesn't mean I always like it though."

"You don't have to like it. You've just gotta do it. And you can," Lindsey reminded him, kissing his cheek.

Damon once again found himself humbled by her faith in him - and humbling Damon Salvatore was no easy feat. Of course, Lindsey also understood him as few people did, even Stefan. She knew him through and through, so it was no use throwing up his usual defensive walls. She knew how to knock them down, and would.

"As always, I bow to your wisdom," he said, with only a little snark in his tone.

* * *

Caroline snagged Lindsey the second she and Damon walked back into the main room. "Hey! Someone you need to meet!" she said. She dragged Lindsey to a woman who looked about 25. She was slight of build, with golden brown hair and hazel eyes. "This is Cecily. She knew Damon in London in the 1890s."

"Didn't know he made it to London," Lindsey said. "I'm Lindsey. So nice to meet you."

"And you as well. Caroline was telling me you're the one who finally made an honest man of Damon Salvatore. Congratulations." She was smiling, and Lindsey felt she was sincere.

"Thank you. It's been interesting."

"I can imagine." Her accent was lovely and cultured, making Lindsey wonder if she wasn't of the aristocracy. "So, let's go somewhere we can talk comfortably. I've always had a soft spot for Damon, and I want to know how you managed to capture him." The three went to a small table in the corner. As they sat down, Cecily looked knowingly at Lindsey. "Of course, once a human turns, it's very difficult to guess ages, but I'd say you were somewhat older when you turned."

Lindsey nodded. "I was 46. Older than average, for sure."

"So how long were you two together?"

"Long, long story," Lindsey said with a grin. "We were kind of thrown together in 2004, and we were on again, off again - mostly off - until March of 2014. I'd been diagnosed with cancer and he came to Alabama to take care of me. By that time, I was looking at about four months to live, but I managed to qualify for a clinical trial, which actually sent me into remission, and the doctors were saying it would be long term."

Cecily digested this. "Wow. So did Damon turn you?"

"Yes and no. About three months after my treatment ended, we were in a bad wreck. I died in the wreck, but had his blood in my system. Fortunately, we were near my home, so he carried me to the house, and I made the decision to complete the transition when I woke up."

"So how did you make it through transition? You must not have wanted to turn before."

"I didn't, but once I was there, well, I decided I couldn't give Damon up again, no matter what. Transition was fairly smooth for me. My home is way out in the country and there aren't many people around, so I didn't have to deal with the sensory overload that so many newborns have. And it's Damon's opinion - and I have to agree with him - that since I was so much older than most vamps when they turn, that I was just more stable in general. The hyper emotions have been the worst, probably, but it's really more like how I felt as a human in my 20s. But hey. I got instant menopause without the hot flashes. It's awesome." That sent both Caroline and Cecily into a fit of laughter.

"You're beautiful, Lindsey and you have beautiful friends," said a voice.

Lindsey turned to look into Jakob's smiling face. "You kissed the Blarney Stone, you know it?" she said. "But this is Cecily. She and Damon are old friends, and this is Caroline Forbes. She and Stefan are together. She's probably going to be my sister-in-law one of these days. Girls, this is Jakob Beite, Damon's friend from Fort Worth."

"And your friend too, I hope," he said, mock hurt in his tone.

"Of course. And you can see, girls, that he and my husband both have entirely too much charm."

Jakob folded his long frame into a chair. "Except Damon is an ass and I never am," he said.

"Maybe not, but you certainly compete where egos are concerned. I'm surprised both of you and your egos can all fit in this room at the same time," Lindsey said dryly.

"Oooh. Sheathe those claws, how about it? But I did have a legitimate reason for coming over here to molest you. Other than I like molesting you," and he grinned as he got a Damon-worthy eye roll from Lindsey. "This hotel has a rocking bar. And guess what we've got going on in that bar?"

"Besides lots of drinking? A live band?" Caroline guessed.

"No. Karaoke!"

"Really?" Lindsey said, interested. "Who's going?"

"Anybody who wants to, but I know you love to sing."

"Caroline sings, too," Lindsey said.

"Lindsey! Do you have to tell everybody?" she exclaimed.

"Why not? You have a great voice! So does Jakob, I'm warning you. He's a ringer. That sounds fun. Let me go corral my husband and Caroline, you go find Stefan. Cecily, would you like to join us?"

"You know, I think I would," she said, giving Jakob the eye. "It does sound like fun."

"We're getting started in about 20 minutes," he said.

"Meet you there," Lindsey answered. Jakob flashed his thousand-watt grin and left.

Cecily looked after him. "Do you know him well, Lindsey?"

"Pretty well. He's a good guy. You could do a lot worse."

"Believe me, I have," Cecily answered.

"He is _hot_ ," Caroline said.

"Yep," Lindsey answered. "I met him in 2004 in Fort Worth, when Damon and I spent that summer together. He and Damon go way, way back." She lowered her voice, lest anyone else hear. "We all went to this club and Damon and I were doing a pretty raunchy bump and grind to 'Pour Some Sugar on Me,' and then Jakob joined in. It was the one and only time I've ever even considered - you know." She grinned mischievously.

Caroline whistled. "You know, as much of a jackass as Damon can be, I can see your point. Jakob with that blond hair, and Damon all dark and sexy - the whole angel/devil thing. Yeah, I can see it." Cecily nodded her agreement.

Lindsey laughed. "I'm way too uptight to even think it, even now, though. I'm sure Damon has done it before. Heck, he's done everything at _least_ once, but as possessive as he is, he would, excuse the phrasing, shit a brick outhouse if I ever suggested it. Although, it might be worth the explosion just to see the look on his face." She was overcome with laughter at the thought, and Cecily and Caroline joined in.

"You should _totally_ suggest it!" Caroline said. "Just please take a picture of his expression when you do it so I can see!"

Lindsey shook her head. "Nah. I'm too soft-hearted. It might hurt his feelings, and I can't do that to him."

Cecily reached to take Lindsey's hand. Her eyes were moist. "Lindsey, I am so glad Damon has you in his life. You love him so much, and so few people in his life have."

"That's true," Caroline said. "Stefan has told me some things. You two really are epic."

"Thanks, girls. I try to do my best," she answered. She spotted Damon and waved him over. "Jake came by and said they were doing karaoke in the bar. Want to come hear me sing? Be my biggest fan?" She smiled winningly at him, knowing he generally hated the cheese factor that tended to go with karaoke.

He shook his head. "You know just how to get me. You coming with us, Cecily?"

"I am, thank you," she answered.

As Damon and Lindsey walked down to the bar, she said, "Cecily kind of likes Jakob. How old is she?"

"Older than I am. Seems like she told me she was turned in about 1800 or so. I wouldn't mind seeing those two together. They're both decent people."

Lindsey tucked her hand into the crook of Damon's elbow. "I thought so, myself."

* * *

Caroline and Lindsey were at the bar, getting drinks, while other singers performed. Lindsey saw another woman talking to Damon. "I swear, is this the night I'm just gonna have to hang a 'taken' sign around his neck? How many busty blondes are here, anyway?"

Caroline looked at their table. "Oh, that's just Rebekah. She's Elijah's and Klaus' sister."

"Heard of her," Lindsey said, and at the expression on Caroline's face, said, "Let me guess: she's a member of the pink T-shirt club too, huh?" She was referring to the women who had slept with one or both of the Salvatore brothers. She and Caroline joked about starting a club, with pink T-shirts as their official club wear.

"Yeah. Both of them."

"Ohhh. So she gets both merit badges."

Caroline laughed. "Definitely. I know her, but has she met you?"

"Not to my knowledge. The only Originals I've actually met are Elijah and Klaus."

"Well, Rebekah is kind of O.K., but stay the hell away from Kol. He's a nut."

"That's what Damon says. Is Kol even here?" She had never seen the youngest Original.

Caroline scanned the crowd. "Yeah. Far corner, red T-shirt. Good-looking, and every bit as crazy as he is hot."

Lindsey spotted him and made a mental note to avoid him at all possible. Unfortunately, he had noticed her and Caroline looking at him, and even though he couldn't hear them, he knew he was the topic of discussion. They turned back to the bar and in a moment, they heard a smooth voice, "Good evening, ladies. Long time, no see, Caroline. Care to introduce me to your very intriguing friend? I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

Caroline sighed heavily. "Hi Kol. This is Lindsey Salvatore - Damon's wife. Lindsey, Kol Mikaelson, Klaus' brother."

It was too bad Kol had such beautiful liquid brown eyes, Lindsey thought. You could almost believe he was a nice guy. But Lindsey could see the crazy underneath. She extended her hand courteously. "Nice to meet you, Kol," she said.

He took her hand and kissed it, making her want to shudder, but she didn't. " _Enchante' madame_ ," he said. "So you're Damon's wife. My brother Nicklaus speaks highly of you. But I don't recall him mentioning what a very lovely woman you are."

"Thank you, Kol. You're very kind to say so," Lindsey answered, her tone neutral. Caroline was getting agitated, but Lindsey wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was rattled.

"Oh, I'm being honest," he said, his eyes glittering in a way Lindsey didn't at all like. "Would you care to join me for a drink?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I only drink with my husband. He's over there. Have you spoken to him?"

Kol's face changed. "Damon and I don't exactly get along very well," he said.

"What a shame. Here's our drinks, Caroline. Guess we'd better get back to the menfolks. Pleasure to meet you, Kol. Have a nice evening." Lindsey gave him a socially correct smile and she and Caroline left him at the bar, fuming.

"I could have told you how that would play out, little brother," Klaus said, sidling up to him.

"Shut up, Nick."

Klaus chuckled. "Drop it here. Elijah has already said he doesn't want any fighting."

"I can take Damon Salvatore any day," Kol snapped.

"Undoubtedly, but if you mussed a single hair on his conceited head, his wife would stake you and set you on fire. And enjoy doing it. She may be a very new vampire, but she faced down six Augustines with only a pistol. And that's when she was human. She would walk through hell to protect Damon. She's already threatened to vervain me, drag me to her maple tree and hang me up by my heels. God knows what she'd do to _you_ ," Klaus said, laughing outright.

Lindsey heard the conversation and looked at Caroline. "I'll tie Kol to the bumper of Damon's new Camaro and drag his ass all the way back to Alabama, is what I'll do if he even looks a little funny at my husband." She whispered this in her friend's ear.

Caroline hid her face in her hands, laughing. "I'd _walk_ home to Virginia to see that, Lindsey."

"What are you two giggling about?" Stefan asked. He and Damon were talking and hadn't heard the exchange.

"Kol showed up and found us at the bar, darn the luck," Lindsey said. "But we let him know we weren't interested. Now Klaus is up there messing with him."

"Kol's a psychopath. Leave him alone," Damon said darkly.

"No problem there," Lindsey replied. "I already told Caroline I've got plans for him if he so much as looks sideways at you."

Damon grinned. "And what would those be? I'm sure they're creative."

"Tie him to the bumper of the Camaro and drag him all the way back home. It's 150 miles. That ought to make an impression," she said calmly.

Both brothers chuckled and Stefan gave her a shoulder hug. "Just another of the reasons I love you, sis," he said.

Lindsey chuckled. "Kol was mostly trying to get a rise out of you two." She saw an unfamiliar man heading for their table.

"Damon!" he called.

Damon looked up and stood. "Enzo! I was wondering if you'd come dragging your ass in here!" They embraced roughly and Enzo shook hands with Stefan, kissed Caroline on the cheek and looked intently at Lindsey, then at Damon, and back at Lindsey.

"So you're the one," he said.

"The one what?" she answered, a little suspiciously.

"The one who kept pulling Damon back from the edge. The one he could not leave." He cocked his head at her and smiled. "The one who chose him first, only and always." He kissed her hand. "Thank you, my dear. You have no idea what you've done for him."

"Thanks Enzo, but I didn't do anything. He did it himself."

Enzo grinned. "Well, love is a powerful motivator. Will you give me that much?"

"Yeah, I'll grant you that," she said with a smile.

"Damon, meet me for a pint later. I have a feeling there's a lot we need to catch up on." Damon nodded and Enzo moved on.

"I used a lot of his personal recollections in my presentation," Lindsey said. "How did he do it for so long?" Damon asked Enzo to help with the project, but their communication had been mostly by email, and with Damon. Lindsey hadn't met him before. "I need to thank him for his help."

Damon shook his head. "Don't say anything. He knows. He really prefers to keep a low profile."

"All right. Well, when you have that drink with him, thank him for me."

"I will," he answered.

* * *

"You've changed, Damon, my friend. For the better. Maybe you've grown up. I don't know." Enzo and Damon were sitting at a quiet table in the hotel bar long after the place officially closed. A little compulsion kept the bourbon bottle available for the two vampires.

"Miracles happen every day," he replied with a smirk.

"Your miracle lives in your house with you."

"No arguments there." Damon raised his glass to Enzo and drank.

Enzo grinned. "And here I thought the lovely Elena was your one, true and only love."

"I loved her. I still love her. But it's not the same kind of love I have for Lindsey. After you all cured me and I killed Aaron, Elena and I had a major blowout. And I realized something. The only time we really worked is when we were in bed. When we were having sex, everything was rocking and rolling. Out of bed, though, all we did was fight."

"Not healthy."

"Downright radioactive toxic is a better description. Elena was always willing to overlook my screw ups, no matter what. She might whine about them a little, but she overlooked them. Lindsey wouldn't. She called me out every time and told me it was time for me to do better. For me. Not for herself. Elena is a good person, but she wanted me to be better for her, so she could feel good about herself. Lindsey wanted it for me. That's why she refuses to take any credit for any improvements I've made in my life, although without her, I'd never have done it."

Enzo sipped his drink and shook his head. "You're content. Peaceful. I've never seen that side of you, ever. I wasn't sure it existed. That restlessness is gone. Is it too much of a stretch to say you found yourself?"

Damon chuckled. "Maybe not. Took me long enough. Years ago, Lindsey told me I was a country boy at heart, and it pissed me off. Turns out, she was right. We have a nice place, and it's out in the middle of nowhere. We're just about ten minutes from town, but out there, it's peaceful, quiet… It's a good life. I know we'll have to move in about ten or fifteen years, and leave for a while, but it'll always be there for us."

"So what are you doing to pass the time out there in your bucolic paradise, then?"

"Would you believe I inherited one useful thing from Giuseppe?" Damon said.

Enzo was curious. "And what would that be?"

"Apparently, I'm a natural born carpenter. I bought some used tools and I made some furniture for the house, and then, neighbors started asking me for tables and chairs, dressers, entertainment centers - you name it. I remember Giuseppe saying his grandfather was a carpenter in Italy, so It guess it's in my DNA." He pulled up a photo on his phone. "That's an armoire I made for Stefan and Caroline."

Enzo looked at the picture, wide-eyed. "My God, Damon. It's beautiful! Who knew you had it in you?"

"I didn't, that's for sure. I've always loved to whittle, and I just started messing around with the tools, and before I knew it, I had a side table built. So, I started ordering plans for projects, and improving on them, and suddenly, I had a profitable little side business. There was a crapload of scrap lumber around the boarding house, so I loaded it up on a truck and brought it home." He shrugged.

"And what does your lady love think of this little hobby?"

Damon's face softened, and his eyes were tender. "Enzo, if it's positive, she supports anything I do. She's my biggest fan - and my toughest critic. I have no idea what I've done to deserve her, but I'm thankful for her."

"I'm glad you two found each other, my friend," Enzo said. "And she can even sing. Never thought I'd see you sit still for karaoke, but for Lindsey, you'll do it, simply because she wants you there."

Damon shrugged. "She enjoys it. What's a couple of hours? I can stand it. She's such a music lover. When one of her favorite songs plays, it's like the music starts running through her veins. _I_ can feel it! Never experienced anything like it."

"Sounds intense." Enzo thought he knew Damon well, but this version wasn't familiar to him.

"It is." Damon grinned at his friend.

They talked a while longer, and Damon made his way to the room. He didn't hear anything inside except Lindsey's even breathing, so he silently let himself in. She was sound asleep, but roused a little when he relaxed on the bed beside her. He kissed her sweetly. "Good night, sugar," she said. "Love you.

"Love you, too," he answered. She drifted back into sleep, and Damon watched his wife's face for several more minutes. Everything he ever wanted was lying next to him. Enzo was right. Damon finally found himself. "Took me long enough," he muttered, and reveled in the feel of Lindsey snuggling to his chest as he put his arms around her and dozed off, too.

* * *

 **So can I get a review here? Please? Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5: Handle With Care

**A/N: A looong chapter! Stay with me! Lots of fun stuff to come! An old pest returns, we meet Bonnie's friends, and you get some delicious lemony sweetness! Thanks so much for reading, for reviewing, faving and following! Please keep it up! Any ideas for plot? PM me! I'd love to hear from you! Enjoy!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Handle With Care**

Lindsey went to the podium. She opted for a business look, and so wore black slacks and matching jacket, and a coral top, with low-heeled black pumps. Vampires tended to like flashy clothes when among their own kind, so Lindsey stood out in her very conservative dress.

"Good evening to you all. I'm Lindsey Hargrove Salvatore. Thank you for attending this presentation. I hope you'll find it informative. I will pause every so often to take questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.

"First, I must thank the team who helped me. Without them, this information would never have come to light. Caroline Forbes, Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett made up the Virginia team, as my husband Damon and I worked from our home in Alabama. Our hosts, Nicklaus and Elijah Mikaelson, opened doors and obtained records that were previously thought absolutely unattainable. Also, I thank every person who sent me an email with tidbits of information that, when collated and taken as a whole, filled in the picture. The editorial staff at _Sanguinem_ magazine was invaluable, as were the friends of mine still in the journalism business. They were able to point me in directions I hadn't thought to look. Of course, they didn't know what I was looking for." She smiled here.

"Having said that, I'll go through some preliminary history and will outline our objectives. I warn you, some of these photos are tough viewing. Some of you may have friends who were among the Augustines' victims. For those of you who lost friends or loved ones to these monsters, I am truly sorry for your loss. I will warn you when the photos are about to come up, so if you wish to avert your eyes, or leave the room, you can. Please know I do not show these pictures to exploit or take advantage of anyone, but I feel it is necessary for you to see what these people are capable of so you will know why we are dedicated to making sure their work ends."

Lindsey went on to explain the history of the Augustines and their experiments at Whitmore College. "In the forties, they began collecting as many vampires - whom they referred to as 'specimens' - as possible. Damon Salvatore, my husband, was captured in 1953. He was held captive for five years. He was tortured physically and mentally, and by his own account, regenerated nearly every part of his body except for his heart and brain. As illustrated in this very disturbing photo, even his eyes and fingers were removed at one point, to test if he could regenerate them. The photo came up and Lindsey had to close her eyes. Damon insisted on this picture being included, precisely because it was so deeply shocking, even to jaded vampires. As she expected, a horrified gasp went up. Mercifully, the slide changed and Lindsey opened her eyes. She looked to Damon, who smiled and nodded at her.

"In 2004, the Augustines captured me. I was human then. They imprisoned me with Damon, in the interests of attempting conception between humans and vampires. Their objective was to create a being who didn't require blood for survival, but could regenerate organs. It is safe to say that, had any children been born under those circumstances, they too would have been test subjects. Evidence has also been uncovered that they plan to expand their work to include all supernatural beings, which means none of us, humans or otherwise, are safe. We are all at risk as long as these people are allowed to do their 'research.' So. Any questions so far?"

A man at the back stood up. "How many victims have they had?" he asked.

"We don't know. Judging from their records, our best estimate is somewhere about 150 to 200 vampires, and at least twice that many unaltered humans. There are also a few werewolves and witches in that number. Because they tended to keep the victims long term and assigned random numbers, it can be difficult to distinguish among them," Lindsey answered. She continued with the presentation and at the end, when she asked for more questions, several people stood up.

"So what are vampires supposed to do about this?" one woman asked.

"Stay alert. Keep an eye out for things that don't make sense, especially those of you in the Virginia area. I know many of you have little use for humans, but they are our allies in this. Because the Augustines have taken so many humans, it makes it much easier to shut them down without making our own presence known. As I said, no one is safe from these people."

A man said, "You were human when they got you. How did they do it? And how the hell did they get Damon again?" Lindsey had learned this weekend that her husband was something of a legend in vamp circles. He was known as an extremely dangerous vampire who was more than a little unstable. She had to laugh. They wouldn't recognize the big marshmallow who changed diapers and rocked fussy babies.

"They found Damon in Knoxville, and best we can figure, a sniper got him with a vervain dart. I filled out a shopping survey for a gift card at a mall in Nashville. Go figure. It just illustrates the point that these people are not stupid. They're sneaky and dangerous. If your instincts are telling you something's not right, it probably isn't."

"So what do we do if we're caught?" another woman asked.

"Whatever you can, depending on the circumstances. Damon and I were able to escape because he created a distraction at a grocery store. Obviously, discretion is paramount, assuming you have the option. I'd make the assumption they're all on vervain, so compulsion is out. Remember, though, that their arrogance is their worst downfall. They are convinced of their ultimate superiority, so you can use that against them. Go armed. I consider myself a peaceful person, but I carry a pistol in my car. Also, we have a large contingent of witches here this weekend. See about getting a daylight token. That will increase your chances of being able to escape. The witches have informed me they're willing to spell tokens for you, if you're interested. There's a sign on the bulletin board listing when they will be available. This is going to require cooperation among all supernatural species, so we need to be willing to work with each other. We can't keep saying _if no one catches me, it's all good_. I realize vampires don't have a pack mentality, but it doesn't mean we can't be moderately civil to each other, which means letting bygones be bygones."

Damon knew Lindsey was putting her money where her mouth was on that statement. She thoroughly despised Klaus for what he did to Stefan, but she worked with him and was pleasant to him. As a result, Klaus had actual respect for Lindsey, and they were able to find some common ground in defeating the Augustines.

"So how do we get rid of them?" another woman asked.

"Through the legal system," Lindsey answered, and held up a hand at the murmuring. "I know it hasn't always treated supernaturals fairly. But this time, we're making the system work for us, rather than us working against it. The fact that they've used unsuspecting humans is our leverage. I'll be presenting these findings to the university administration in the next several months, and also to the Virginia Department of Higher Education – the human side of it, anyway. The wheels may turn slowly at first, but once we start gaining momentum, I expect things to happen fairly quickly. The state will shut down the university if they don't dismantle the program. It'll happen."

Elijah stepped up to the podium and kissed Lindsey's hand. "Thank you for your hard work," he said, closing the presentation. "Vampire solidarity is something of an alien concept. Having said that, please understand that Lindsey Salvatore's work is aimed at shutting this whole operation down. To do that, she will need our cooperation in NOT going to Whitmore to go hunting. We intend to end this program once and for all, and past actions have showed that merely killing the current crop of researchers only slows it down. We need it stopped. So, legal action will be required and Lindsey is spearheading that effort. With a little luck, in the next year or two, the Brotherhood of the Sun will be a distant memory and we will all be safer. Thank you for attending this evening. We look forward to seeing you all at the formal dance tomorrow night." He stepped off the podium.

* * *

Lindsey was packing up the equipment she used in her presentation, when she heard the door open. She knew immediately it wasn't Damon, Stefan, Caroline, or indeed, anyone she knew. She turned to see George Neville towering over her. Oh, God. Going purely on instinct, she started frantically calling for Damon through the blood bond and felt his faint reaction.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Damon Salvatore's little pet. All grown up now, aren't we, my lady? George Neville. You may, perhaps, remember me from Cera's bar in Fort Worth," he said silkily.

Every hair on Lindsey's neck stood on end. She knew she couldn't hold out long against an old, powerful vampire like him. She would have to outwit him. Brute strength wouldn't do it. " _Bring Elijah!"_ she called feverishly along the bond. "Nice to see you again, George," she said. "It's been a long time."

"Entirely too long, my lady. Entirely too long." He ran his finger down her cheek and Lindsey forced herself not to shiver. She was glad she wasn't human and he couldn't hear her heart race. It beat at the same pace it always did. She was also thankful for the years in journalism where she practiced keeping a poker face. "I believe we have some unfinished business from all those years ago," he said.

"Do we now? I'm afraid I don't follow." _Where was her husband?_

"Now you're being coy. I was interested in spending some time with you then, but Damon is such a possessive ass, he wouldn't cooperate. I'd like to enjoy your company now."

 _Stay calm_ , she told herself. "Your offer is very kind, George, but I spend most of my spare time with my husband. You see, Damon and I were married in 2014. And he's still very possessive, I'm afraid. Plus, I turned right before we married, so I'm not available in the same capacity as I was in 2004." _WHERE ARE YOU, DAMON?_ she screamed through the bond.

"I'm not an idiot, Lindsey. I know what you are. And I know you and Damon are married. I'm saying I want to enjoy your company." He grabbed her arm. "Look at me, you little fool, and be afraid!"

The second George touched her, Lindsey's fear turned into incandescent rage, and there was no reason to rein in her hyper-extended emotions. She showed her full vampire face to him and hissed, "Do I _look_ afraid, you toad?" She kneed him in the groin.

George roared in outrage as he dropped her arm and Lindsey flashed to the opposite side of the room, and rolled under a table, since Neville was between her and the door. Oh, for Ric's vervain crossbow. She just needed a little more time for Damon to get there. She knew he was coming.

"Come here, you little bitch, or it will be much worse for you," George growled, stalking her. He threw the table to one side and as she rolled away from him, the door of the meeting room flew open and Damon, Stefan and Jakob pelted inside.

George pounced on Lindsey, but she tucked her knees to her chest, and in a desperate move, kicked him across the room, where he hit his head on the lectern, stunning him for just a moment. Lindsey sped to him and grabbed the wooden pointer from the stage. She broke it in half and staked George in the stomach. He screamed in agony as Lindsey raised the other half of the pointer, still with her vampire face showing.

"Lindsey, don't!" Damon yelled. She would have to explain why she killed, when she already had George incapacitated.

She turned to Damon and actually hissed at him. "He's mine," she growled.

The three men looked at each other. None of them had seen Lindsey like this. Well, except that one time in Nashville, Damon thought. "Lindsey, get him through the throat. That'll teach him a lesson. Don't kill him. You don't want to have to explain anything to Klaus, now do you?"

"I want him _dead_ , Damon." Her voice was jagged ice.

"Understood, but let's not do it today."

Lindsey raised her arm to strike, and Damon flashed to intercept her. Suddenly, they were struggling over the stake, and Damon had vamped out, too, in his efforts to wrest it away from her. He finally got it away from her and plunged it into George's throat. "Leave my wife alone, you pig, or you'll answer to Elijah!" he yelled.

Lindsey stood, shaking and staring at George. Her eyes were mostly back to normal, but her fangs were still out, and Damon could see she was struggling with the desire to rip the old vampire limb from limb. Not that the prick didn't deserve it, but he didn't want Lindsey to have that on her conscience. He took a hesitant step toward her and she hissed at him again.

To everyone's surprise, it was Stefan who intervened. He put his hands very gently on her shoulders, looked into her eyes and said quietly, "He's not worth it, Lindsey. Tearing his head off would feel good now, but it won't later. Trust me on that one. He's just not worth it."

She took a long, shuddering breath and nodded. "Yeah. You're right," she said, her face going back to normal.

Stefan smiled at her and hugged her for a moment. "You OK, sis?" he asked. She nodded and he motioned to Damon. "You're the one she needs now," he said.

Damon went to Lindsey and carefully folded her into his arms. He stroked her hair and she burst into tears. "I was so-so scared!" she sobbed.

"I know, sugar. I'm so sorry," he said, comforting her.

Jakob and Stefan looked at each other, and Jakob grinned. "We're gonna have to call her Xena the Warrior Vamp Princess," he said. "The way she hissed at Damon? Shit. Do _not_ make that woman mad. She will go _medieval_ on your ass!" he chuckled.

"I doubt she sees the funny side of this right now," Stefan said.

"Probably not. But she will, eventually. I said a long time ago she was the only woman I knew who could come close to being Damon's equal. When they were both vamped out and wrestling for that stake… Well, I'll remember that image from now on." He chuckled again.

"All right. What happened?" Elijah said wearily from the doorway.

"George Neville happened," Jakob said.

"That much, I knew," Elijah replied. He went to George, who was twitching in agony from the stakes. "Who did this?"

"Lindsey got him in the belly and Damon through the neck. After he got the stake away from Lindsey, who was going straight for Neville's cold, evil heart," Jakob answered.

The corner of Elijah's mouth twitched. He had a difficult time believing a new vampire like Lindsey Salvatore could do this, but apparently, she had. He went to George and removed the stake from his throat. "Tell me exactly what happened, Neville. Do not lie." He used compulsion without a thought.

Neville spilled his guts and by the time he finished, Elijah was quietly snickering. "Let this be a lesson to you, George Neville. Obviously, tangling with Lindsey Salvatore is hazardous to your health."

"It was luck, Elijah. Just pure luck that he hit his head on the lectern," Lindsey said. "Otherwise, he'd have had me, no question." She didn't want to take credit for that. She had kicked out blindly.

"I don't believe in luck, my dear," Elijah answered. He chuckled again and it turned into a full-throated laugh. Lindsey's eyes widened. She'd never heard such a sound come from the Original. "You are a delight, dear Lindsey. An absolute delight," he laughed. "Stefan, would you and Jakob be so good as to un-stake George and get him to the hotel lobby? He's leaving tonight."

Lindsey sagged against Damon in relief. He scooped her up into his arms. "C'mon. Let's go to our room," he said.

"I know you'll take excellent care of her, Damon," Elijah said.

"Stefan and Jake, thanks for coming in with Damon," Lindsey said as they left the room. They nodded in reply.

* * *

Elijah also escorted Neville to the lobby, where Kol and Klaus met them, having heard about the disturbance.

"What happened to Neville?" Kol said.

"Lindsey Salvatore put him in his place," Elijah said, still chuckling. "An object lesson, if you will, of what can happen when you bother the wrong person." He turned to the manager. "I'll want a copy of the surveillance tapes in meeting rooms A and B for the past hour," he said.

"Certainly, Mr. Mikaelson." The manager produced the required DVD post-haste, and Elijah thanked the man.

"Kol, Nicklaus, care to come to my room and let's see exactly how this happened?"

They followed their brother to his suite and he popped the disc into his DVD player. The cameras were also equipped with audio, so they could hear and see what happened.

By the end of the footage, all three brothers were whooping with laughter. "I should have brought popcorn!" Klaus said. "She hissed at Damon! _Hissed_ at him! Oh, my God! And she was wrestling with him for that stake. She must be strong as an ox!" He started laughing again.

Elijah shook his head. "I know. And with that unassuming demeanor. You'd never know she had that kind of fight in her."

Kol shrugged. "Well, she was right about one thing. It _was_ luck that old George smacked his idiot head on that lectern. She never would have got round him otherwise. Having said that, though, she made the most of an opportunity. Have to give her that. I don't know what was more amusing: her hissing at Salvatore, or the look on his face when she did it. He looked like she'd staked him instead of George!" He started laughing, too.

"Mmmm," Klaus said. "Did I or did I not tell you that Damon Salvatore met his match in this one? She'll have no nonsense from him - or anyone else, for that matter. And she told me that when I met her. She's quite formidable. Very much in the mold of the grand Southern ladies."

Elijah chuckled. "I like her. She's thumpingly forthright."

"She should be more respectful of us as originals, though," Kol said. "I get the impression she doesn't much care."

"She's respectful of Elijah, tolerates Rebekah and sees the two of us as nuisances," Klaus answered with a smirk.

"But she married _Damon_!" Kol exclaimed. "What was it Caroline called him - a vampire gigolo? He's a right bastard!"

"Except to Lindsey," Elijah said. "The love of a good woman can work miracles. Never thought I'd see the day, myself."

* * *

In spite of Damon's reassurances, Lindsey was supremely irritated with herself for losing control with George. "I should have just left him there when I staked him the first time." She sat on the bed in their room.

"You could have, and he would've come after you. This way, he gets kicked out and, I'm betting, compelled by Elijah to leave you alone. I don't know how you did it, but that old fossil likes you," Damon replied. He came out of the bathroom wearing the black silk pajama pants Lindsey bought him for their wedding night in Vegas. He was still mouthwatering in them.

"I'm a likable person," she said, openly admiring her sexy husband. "But you're one to talk about being an old fossil, aren't you?"

"Not as old as he is," Damon said with his trademark smirk.

"Have I told you lately how delicious you look in those PJs?" she asked.

His smirk widened into a lascivious grin. He went to her on the bed, got behind her and pulled her to his bare chest. "Delicious, as in good enough to _eat_?" His hands drifted over her breasts and tummy, and he pulled her top over her head.

"As in better than chocolate," she replied, running her hands to his hair, damp from his shower. "In fact," she said, turning to face him, so her legs were on either side of his, "better than Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Therapy Ice Cream. Better than warm brownies with ice cream and hot fudge." She gave him a blistering kiss as he ran his hands up her back and she slipped her top off.

"Do the unhook your bra thing," he rasped.

"Oh, this?" she said and reached behind her back to unclasp her bra with one hand.

"That. God, but that is so hot." He kissed her, making sure he sucked hard on her lower lip. "Speaking of hot fudge," he said, and produced a jar of something labeled "hot fudge body butter."

"What are you gonna do with that?" she asked. "And where did you get it?"

"You can get anything online - and I'm not doing anything with it - _you_ are," he answered, the smirk back on his face.

"And what am I going to do with it?" she said, although she had a lot of interesting ideas.

"Put it all over me. You're the chocoholic, after all."

Lindsey grinned at him. "And then what?"

He did the eye thing. "Lick it off - what else?"

"Oh really?"

"Oh yeah."

She nodded. "I think I can really get into this." She opened the jar and dipped an experimental finger in it and tasted the substance. "Pretty good. But on you, well, I'm betting it's a whole other level." She scooped up some of the butter on her fingers and smeared it on Damon's throat, and then licked it off. His twitching told her he appreciated it. "Definitely better," she murmured.

Lindsey pushed Damon to his back on the bed and spread some of the chocolate butter on his nipples and then suckled it from the skin. He was starting to make those noises in his throat that told her she was on to something. She slid the sleep pants down his hips and tossed them on the floor. Not surprisingly, he was already hard for her and she grinned at him again. "And I know another perfect place for this stuff," she said and spread it all over his erection. She started licking it from the soft skin and was making contented noises that Damon called her "yum-yum sounds" and which drove him crazy.

"I hate to get between a woman and her chocolate," he panted, "but how long do you plan on drawing this out?"

He was rewarded by a long lick up his shaft and a tiny nip that drew blood, followed by Lindsey licking it away. "Give me a second to get undressed," she said, and shimmied out of her slacks and underwear. "Satisfied?" she said.

"Not by a long damn shot," he answered and had her on her back in a moment. Lindsey loved it when Damon went all dominant on her. She was strong enough to turn the tables if she wanted, and that strength gave her the security to let go with him. He fumbled for the jar and applied the butter to her center, and then applied his tongue.

Lindsey was going crazy, feeling his oh-so-talented tongue on her folds. Was there any kind of sex he didn't excel in? She hadn't found it yet. As always, he brought her to climax first, and then entered her slowly. She arched her hips to his and brought his mouth to hers. When Damon was satisfied, he knew Lindsey had another climax on the horizon, and he teased her sweet spot until she gasped in passion. She clasped his body to hers. "You're just too good at this," she sighed.

"I know it," he said with a smirk, as he nibbled her neck and ears.

"Conceited," she answered, and pinched his side. He jumped, but didn't stop kissing her. "How in the world did I get mixed up with a man who is so completely stuck on himself?" she said.

Damon's chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Because I'm also completely irresistible."

"Stinker," was her reply.

"Your pillow talk is so stimulating," he teased.

"The alphabet is stimulating to you, sweetie."

"I'll take what I can get."

"You always do."

He was still kissing her neck, still nuzzling her hair, when he said, "Did you know what you were doing tonight, calling to me through the bond like you did?"

"Not really. I just thought it might work."

"It did. Felt like an electric shock. Got my attention, that's for sure," he said.

"Maybe it was just instinct. I don't know. I'm glad it did, though. I was absolutely terrified in there."

"I could tell. I don't think I've ever moved so fast."

"I'm thankful you did. I don't know what all that idiot had on his mind, but I knew I wasn't going to like any of it. By the way, I'm having breakfast with Bonnie and a couple of her witch friends in the morning. Just FYI."

"O.K. Please don't shock them by eating an entire pig's worth of bacon," he teased.

Lindsey pinched him again - hard. It made him yelp. "I'll thank you to keep your comments about my eating habits to yourself, fangboy. You should know better."

Damon rubbed the spot ruefully. "Yeah, by now, I ought to. Sometimes it takes a few whacks with the newspaper, I guess."

"Or an iron skillet."

"Or that," he cheerfully agreed. He rolled Lindsey to her back again. "But honestly, wouldn't you rather put your hands here, while my mouth goes here," he put her hands on his butt and kissed her neck, "and your mouth goes here," and he angled his head so she could access his neck, "and we see some stars together?" He dropped his fangs and pierced her skin, while she did the same for him. As always, the mutual sharing smacked them into bliss, where it was even sweet to lick the wounds closed.

* * *

Lindsey met Bonnie's friends Alecia and Minda in the hotel's restaurant for breakfast. They looked a little askance at her at first, but after shaking hands and reassuring them the only food she was interested in was on the breakfast buffet, they relaxed.

Alecia ate her bagel and stared at Lindsey as she recounted some amusing stories from her daily newspaper days. Lindsey noticed her scrutiny and said, "Did I spill coffee on myself or something?"

The woman shook her head. "No. You're just the most - how can I say it - _human_ vampire I've ever met."

Lindsey grinned. "I'll tell you a secret. It's because I _am_ human. I'm an altered human, is all. But I'm still a member of the tribe."

"Do you miss it?" Minda asked.

"Sometimes, I wish I could feel less intensely than I do, but most of the time, no. Not really. Well, I wish blood weren't such a large part of the package, but for me, personally, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I keep hammering this home because I think it's so important, but I know it's because I was much older when I was turned. Turning accentuates whatever is already there. People who are unstable to start with tend to be more unstable when they turn. I was actually in a really good place, so that had a lot to do with it. And Damon has been right there with me the whole time. I couldn't have done it this way without him."

Bonnie chuckled. "I know Damon has really done a 180 since I first met him, but it still kind of tickles me to hear you say that. I never thought he'd be such a …"

"Good guy?" Lindsey said and Bonnie nodded. "But he is. Now don't be fooled. He can go all evil undead creature of the night in half a second if necessary, but he's mellowed a lot. There's a side to him most people never see, and that's intentional on his part, but it's there. You just have to kind of tease it out of him bit by bit. You should see him when we have a foster child. We take babies and toddlers, for obvious reasons. He's wonderful with children. All he has to do is speak to a fussy baby and it calms right down. I don't know how he does it. When it comes to those babies, he's a big old gooey marshmallow. Seriously."

"I don't think I've ever seen Damon. Heard plenty about him, though," Minda said.

"Oh. O.K.," Lindsey answered, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She pulled up the photos and picked a favorite. Damon was standing on the upstairs porch, leaning against the railing with one elbow. He was facing her, his shirt was unbuttoned all the way and the wind had thoroughly messed up his hair. His expression was thoughtful, pensive. She showed it to Minda.

The witch's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. And you're married to him." She looked at the picture again. "How do you even let him leave the bedroom?"

"Lemme see!" Alecia said, grabbing for the phone. She looked at the picture and her jaw dropped. "I swore off vamps years ago, but damn! I wish I'd found him before I did! I have to say Minda's got a point. I don't think I'd allow clothing at home." She shook her head.

Lindsey laughed out loud. "And Damon would be surprisingly OK with that." She watched a server passing by and her eyes lit with interest. "Wonder if he plays football. Look at the veins in his arms. Wow." She looked at Bonnie and her friends. "Sorry about that, ladies. I do get distracted occasionally."

"I'm surprised you didn't just go bite him," Minda said.

"No, no. That would be very rude to you all, first, and I'm not really hungry. I may catch him later, but don't worry. I don't believe in killing for sport. Period. A few sips, compel him to forget, and I'm done. Bacon helps," she said as she ate another piece and took a long pull on her coffee.

She answered a few more questions about the Augustine research and then Alecia asked about the blood bond and she explained that, as well. They were talking about bad reality shows when Lindsey looked up. "Damon's here," she said. She could hear and smell him.

"Bon-Bon!" Damon said, and appeared from around the corner. He kissed the top of Bonnie's head and tugged at a lock of her hair.

"Hey Damon," she said. "My friends, Alecia and Minda."

"Ladies," he nodded at them and gave them a genuine smile. They were in a round booth and he scooted in beside Lindsey and nosed in her hair. "Hey there," he said.

"Hey." She gave him a peck on the cheek and grinned as he grabbed a piece of bacon from her plate.

"Did you leave any bacon for anybody else?" he said, teasing.

Lindsey gave him a sidelong look and shook her head. "Boy, are you ever pushing it. You don't really want to go to the dance tonight with a sore neck from where I snapped it, now do you?"

"Nope."

"Then you'd better shut up and behave yourself."

He looked a little shamefaced as he replied, "Yes Ma'am."

Bonnie and her friends looked at each other and then at Lindsey, who just shrugged.

Alecia cleared her throat. "So, Damon. Lindsey's explained her take on the blood bond thing. What about yours?"

"It comes in handy," he said. "Anything else?"

"You're being difficult," Bonnie said.

"Part of my irresistible charm," he smirked.

"Y'all will have to excuse him. I can dress him up, but I can't take him anywhere. Shaving his back and teaching him to walk upright are about all I've been able to do with him," Lindsey said with her own smirk in his direction.

"Now that's cold," he answered. As Lindsey stared at him, he said, "Yeah, I know. Can't handle MiGs, don't fly in MiG alley."

"Act right," she said.

Damon snagged another piece of bacon from Lindsey's plate and looked longingly at her coffee cup until she handed it to him with a sigh. He drained it and grinned at her. "I still don't know what you're wearing for the big to-do tonight," he said.

"I told you it's a surprise."

He rolled his eyes. "What about you, Bon-Bon? Got something stunning to wear?"

"It's green," she said.

"Oh, c'mon. I'm trying to work with you, here. I thought women loved talking about clothes!" he exclaimed.

Lindsey snickered. "Well, I have to say, sweetie. You do have excellent taste in fashion. I'm telling you girls, if Damon says it looks good, it will. If not, leave it on the rack."

"Does he pick out your clothes?" Alecia asked Lindsey.

Damon answered, "Oh, hell no! I got threatened within an inch of my existence for even _suggesting_ it. I mean, I've bought things for her, but she'd stake me if I so much as hinted I needed to choose her wardrobe." He raised his eyebrows.

"Funny. Threaten your manhood and you learn quickly," Lindsey said with a smirk.

"That's because I know from you, it's a promise," he answered with a shudder.

She kissed his cheek. "Aren't you glad I love you?"

Damon beamed at her as he nodded. "Mmm-hmm," he answered, sounding completely mushy. "Oh! The whole reason for me crashing this hen party was to tell you that Her Royal Highness of Hair and Beauty requests your presence so she can do something with your hair for the party."

" _Now_? How long does she think it's going to take? I don't have that much hair!" Lindsey exclaimed, as Bonnie cracked up laughing at his description of Caroline.

"Well, when you can get there," Damon said. "Vampire Barbie's in full makeover mode." He looked at the other women. "So watch out. If she catches you, she won't be happy until you're powdered and pencilled to her satisfaction. Pretty blonde, about so high, and has a determined look on her face. Probably carrying her implements with her," he said, his tone dark, and the group laughed. As always, Damon had charm to burn when he chose to use it.

"So when is she gonna give _you_ a makeover, Damon?" Bonnie asked.

He looked at her. "You _wound_ me, Witchiepoo! You don't mess with perfection! Now baby brother and his hero hair? Needs constant work. But me? I mean," and here, his voice turned to the black velvet that made females drool, "what would _you_ change?"

Alecia couldn't help herself. "Not a damn thing," she breathed. Damon gave her a heart-stopping grin that made her wonder why she swore off vampires.

He leaned back and stretched his legs out, hands behind his head. His plum-colored silk shirt clung to his chest and biceps and as he stretched lazily, the short hem rode up, showing just a sliver of skin. Alecia and Minda swallowed and two women walking by nearly tripped over themselves as they caught sight of him. He grinned and clicked a wink at them. They melted into puddles of goo and sloshed away. Damon chuckled.

"Let's get out of here before you decide to favor all the women in the place with an impromptu striptease," Lindsey said.

"Hey, I want some of that action!" Alecia said with a grin.

Damon smirked at her and before Lindsey could stop him, undid two buttons on his shirt. "Sure you can _handle_ this kind of action?" he said, and the auburn-haired witch looked like she was about to have a coronary.

Lindsey closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Just give Damon an appreciative female audience… "I'll see you ladies at the party. Great to meet you," she said, and giving Damon a sharp elbow in the ribs, nudged him out of the booth. "C'mon. You've succeeded in making a spectacle of yourself. Your work here is done."

"Always happy to oblige," he said smoothly as he stood up and offered his hand to Lindsey. She took it and he handed her gracefully out of the booth, then slid his arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the restaurant.

Alecia and Minda both looked at Bonnie. "I'd heard rumors about that man," Alecia said, "but I didn't believe them. Now I do. I mean, hot. Gorgeous, even!"

Bonnie chuckled. "He is gorgeous, but there have been times when I'd just as soon stake him as look at him. He can be a real jerk. He's improved a lot the past couple of years, though. No doubt about that."

Minda nodded. "And we met the reason. Lindsey's a really nice person. She's not like any other vamp I've ever met. There's nothing about her that reads predator, or death. She's friendly, and I don't get the impression she was playing an angle with us."

"She wasn't," Bonnie said. "Lindsey's always been a good egg. I didn't know her personally before she turned, but Stefan - you know, Damon's brother - met her and said he really liked her."

"That blood bond is something else. As soon as he sat down, you could just feel the energy between them. That's really rare. I've heard of it, but it's not common," Alecia said. "Damon's nuts about her. It's really sweet."

"Yeah, especially when you knew him before," Bonnie agreed. "He and Elena cared about each other, but their relationship was so, so toxic. Now, he's so much easier to get along with. You wouldn't believe it."

"Glad it's working out for them," Minda said.

* * *

As Damon and Lindsey walked back to their hotel room, she spotted the good-looking server with the great veins. "Those veins are vampire porn," she muttered and Damon nearly fell over laughing.

"So have a snack. I don't mind," he said.

"Just a taste," she replied, and approached the young man. "Excuse me," she said.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Now look at me and tell me the truth. Has anyone fed from you today?" Her voice was pleasant and she was stroking his hand.

He shook his head. "No ma'am."

"All right. That's good. Lean down here then. You're a little tall."

"What are you gonna do?" his voice had turned apprehensive.

"I'm going to feed from you, but you're all right. Don't be afraid. Just be real still for me and this won't even hurt, O.K.?"

"All right," he said, completely compelled.

Lindsey ran her finger along his neck and found her preferred spot. She bit and took several long pulls from his vein, then nicked her thumb and rubbed the blood on the wounds. They closed up quickly and she nodded in satisfaction and wiped his neck with a tissue. "Thanks, hon. Now go on with your day and as soon as you leave to go home, you won't even remember this happened, all right?"

"Yes ma'am," he said and walked down the hall.

Lindsey dabbed her mouth with the tissue and looked over at Damon, who was leaning against the wall. "What is it?"

"You're so polite to your meals." His smirk was too sexy, as usual.

"No use scaring the crap out of them," she answered. "Doesn't do any good," then she looked at her husband, whose eyes were gleaming wickedly. She could feel desire radiating through the bond.

He went to her and pulled her close. "You left too early this morning."

"I did, huh?"

"Mmm-hmm. I didn't even get to tell you good morning." He nuzzled her hair. "You know what it does to me to watch you feed. You're so neat about it, not a drop wasted. Most vampires are such messy eaters. Me included."

"I don't know. You never had too much dripping down your chin when you bit me before I turned."

He grinned. "I was making an extra effort. I didn't want to freak you out. Are you gonna let me see your dress before the party tonight?"

"Nope. You'll have to be surprised. But I'm betting you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will," he answered and bent his head to capture her mouth with his. He could taste the blood from her feed and lust slammed into his body. He pushed Lindsey against the wall, still kissing her, running his hands up his sides as she twined her fingers in his hair.

"I know you two have a room," came a mocking voice.

Lindsey turned to see a smirking Kol standing in the hallway. "We do," she answered. "We were just going to find it."

"Unless you were trying to get someone to ask to join in. If that's the case, I'll gladly volunteer," he said smoothly.

Damon's eyes changed immediately and he snarled at Kol, fangs out. A growl rumbled deep in his chest.

Lindsey winced at Damon's possessive rage and twined her leg around his ankle. "No, Damon. _No_. Let's go to our room." Kol looked a little taken aback, and started to speak when Lindsey said, "Not a word, you agitator. I don't have a problem telling Elijah and Klaus you were trying to provoke Damon. Now stop it."

Something about the look in Lindsey's eyes was even more dangerous than Damon's open threat display. Kol knew he could take Damon, but he remembered what Lindsey did to George Neville, lucky or not, and decided a tactical retreat was in order. "Some people apparently can't take a joke," he said, backing away.

"Haven't heard one yet," Lindsey snapped. She stared the Original down until he shrugged and left. She sighed. "He's gonna end up tied to that bumper sure as I'm standing here."

Damon chuckled briefly. "Probably do him good." He looked at his mate and grinned. "Woman, you're scary, you know it? Don't show a single fang or raise your voice and you put that little shit in his place. I saw fear on his crazy face."

"He knew I'd tell Elijah, that's all. Klaus is mean and touchy, and Kol's just crazy, but Elijah will mess you up. In my opinion, he's the most dangerous of the bunch because he's smart, he can keep a cool head and he's patient."

"Won't dispute that," Damon said, but he was satisfied Elijah had nothing to do with Kol's retreat. He saw _something_ in Lindsey's eyes. Damon had seen the same thing once or twice, and it was never good. "I wonder how fast I can get you to the room," he said, low.

Mischief sparkled in Lindsey's eyes and she kissed his nose. "Wanna find out?" she challenged him and was gone down the hall and into the stairwell.

"That woman," Damon muttered and took off after her. When he got to the room, he flung open the door, when it was wrenched out of his hands, slammed shut behind him and he found himself flat on his back on the bed.

"Fast enough for you?" Lindsey said, grinning at him as she sat on his hips.

"Close," he answered. "What is it about you and this chase thing, anyway?"

She chuckled. "Every woman wants to be chased, literally or figuratively. Besides, I like to make you work for it, occasionally. It's good for you."

"And you'll be making me work for it 200 years from now, right?"

"Absolutely." She leaned to give him a heated kiss.

"What you do to me," he murmured and returned the kiss, then moved to kick his boots off and Lindsey unbuttoned his shirt. She smoothed her hands up his chest, loving the feel of his skin under her fingers. There wasn't a single inch of Damon's body she didn't love. Some girls preferred taller men, or guys who had a little more meat on their bones, but her husband's lean, muscled frame suited her exactly. She grinned appreciatively as she looked at him.

Damon could feel her approval rippling through their bond, and he returned the grin. He knew even though Lindsey had come to an acceptance of her body, she would always wish she were slender. He didn't. He loved her curves, the lushness of her body, how it was soft, warm, how it cradled the hard planes of his body. This was the woman who loved him - only him. She'd never loved another man, never allowed another man to touch her, never allowed another man to hold her. She was his alone. The thought made him pull her to him, roll them to their sides and hold her close, her head tucked underneath his chin. He stroked her hair and she nosed in his neck, feeling his emotions swirling around them. He was really broadcasting and Lindsey was a little bemused by the intensity. Maybe she'd never quite realized how much it meant to him that he was her first and only, that she chose him first, and above all other men. If Katherine Pierce weren't already dead, Lindsey would hunt her down and stake her for the damage she did to a young man who only wanted to love her.

She nibbled Damon's earlobe and left little bites down the column of his neck, as he hummed in pleasure. She sucked on the skin near his shoulder, then licked it and made her way back up to his mouth, where she spent a great deal of time kissing him and nibbling his lips and threading her fingers through his impossibly thick hair. She raised her head and his eyes were soft, tender with emotion. This was the Damon no one else knew, except Stefan. She put her hand to his cheek. "What is it, sugar?" she whispered.

"Just you," he said, one corner of his mouth barely quirked.

Lindsey took Damon's left hand and kissed his fingertips, and then his wedding ring. Oh, she did love his beautiful hands. She kissed his palm and then put it against her own cheek. He closed his eyes and sighed. "It means that much," she said.

"What?"

"That you're the only man I've ever loved."

He cuddled her closer. "You said you were tired of being last on everyone's list. I get that, and I did then, because being second place is about as bad. Second place means you might have had a shot, but no one ever picked you. Screws with your head. Even before I was turned, the belles looked my way only when they couldn't get Stefan to court them. Father said it was because they could tell I was weak. Maybe I was then."

Lindsey visualized their bond wrapping her husband in love and warmth and he smiled. "I'm telling you, you're good at using that bond," he said. "But to answer you, yes, it means that much to me. Being number one feels damn good." He put his forehead to hers. "I'm still getting used to knowing that you won't leave, that you're not going to find someone else."

"Never," Lindsey said. "Who could compare to you?"

That got a rueful chuckle. "I don't guess I ever told you this, but when you put my daylight token around my neck and said you gave me light, life and spirit? And then you kissed me and took my hands?" He took her hands in his.

"Yeah."

"When you took my hands, I swear I could feel you leading me out of the dark. It was like light suddenly _was_ all around me. And know what else?"

"What?" Her eyes were brimming.

He kissed her fingers. "I've been holding on to these sweet, small hands ever since. As long as I keep hold of your hands, the darkness can't surround me anymore. I hold your hands, I'm walking in the light."

Tears streamed down Lindsey's face. She put her wet cheek to Damon's and held him as close as she could. "Oh, my dear love," she breathed, stroking his hair, his neck, his back. Although Damon was more open with her than he was with any other being, moments when he really exposed his feelings weren't common. She knew he loved her, knew he cared about her; he told her frequently. But him saying something like this was a rare occurrence, making it all the more precious. She knew he trusted her enough to say it, knowing she would cherish his words. Considering she could count the people Damon Salvatore trusted on one hand, she well understood how precious that trust was. She understood the magnitude of him being willing to say something like that out loud.

They held each other for a long while, whispering sweet words to each other, and as Lindsey said once again how she only wanted Damon, had only ever wanted him, he could feel old, festering wounds in his soul healing, bit by bit. Lindsey completely lost track of time, as they snuggled together, until a sharp knock came on the door. "Lindsey! Are you even in there?" It was Caroline.

"Yeah. Why?" she asked.

"Didn't that degenerate husband of yours tell you I needed to see you to do your hair?"

"Well, she's right about one thing," Damon's voice rumbled low in her ear. "I am a degenerate."

"No you're not. Not anymore," Lindsey replied, giving his nose a kiss, and receiving her favorite boyish grin in return. She straightened her top and went to get the door. "Hi, Caroline. Yes, he told me. But the party doesn't start until eight and I don't have that much hair!"

Caroline looked over Lindsey's shoulder to see Damon lounging on the bed, shirtless. "You have no shame, Damon!" she said.

He lazily ran his hands down his torso. "Why should I? See something I should be ashamed of?" He grinned when Lindsey shot him a glare.

Lindsey looked at her watch. "Tell you what. I'll come by your room at 5:30. That should give you plenty of time to work your miracles, O.K.?"

"All right. That should give me time to do Stefan's hair, too." At that, Damon started crowing with laughter, and nearly rolled off the bed.

"Bad choice of words, Caroline," Lindsey said.

"Apparently," she answered primly.

Lindsey raised an eyebrow at her still-giggling husband. "Control yourself, Damon." He stopped the giggles, but the expression on his face was still full of laughter and his eyes gleamed with it.

"I'll see you at 5:30," Caroline said.

"See you then," Lindsey answered and closed the door. She started chuckling, too. "Lord, Damon, did you have to do that?"

"Oh, come on. You know what she said about Stefan and his hero hair was hilarious, and then she gets her mouth all puckered up like she's been sucking on lemons. It's too easy to get her wound up."

"And you can't resist the opportunity."

"Nope."

Until they faded out of existence, Lindsey supposed Damon would tease Stefan about his "hero hair." Damon's hair, of course, was thick as a briar patch, and always looked great, whether it was brushed neatly or adorably rumpled. Not that her husband had any room to talk, really, with his fondness for designer clothes and severe weakness for silk shirts. Stefan often picked at his big brother by saying Lindsey was the low-maintenance partner. She supposed she was, but she had never been much interested in material things.

She turned to her mate and sitting on the bed, ran one finger down his perfect chest. "Well, you were right about one thing. You don't have a thing to be ashamed of, that's for sure."

With his trademark wicked grin, Damon captured Lindsey's hand, nicked her finger with his fang, and licked the blood from the wound, teasing it with the tip of his tongue, his eyes locked to hers the whole time. Well, turnabout was fair play, Lindsey thought, so she took Damon's free hand in hers, nipped his thumb and sucked the blood from it.

"I need to get a shower if I'm going to be in Caroline's room by 5:30," Lindsey said.

"I'll be glad to wash your back for you," Damon replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Thank you darlin', but you know as well as I do if that happens, I'll be late. When you're mostly dressed, I can control myself, but when you're all wet in the shower, with your hair slicked back and water all over…" She shivered pleasantly and Damon's grin went right to her toes. " _But_ , I promise I'll make it up to you after the party, all right?"

"O.K.," he sighed, pretending disappointment.

Lindsey snickered, gave him a quick kiss and went to shower.

* * *

 **Can I get some love, here? Reviews are love! Next chapter, we get to party with the vamps! And Lindsey has plans for Damon... Tune in next time! :)**


	6. Chapter 6: Just Here for The Party

**A/N: Another lengthy chapter! Honestly, there's really not a tremendous amount of plot development here - just an opportunity to get Damon in a designer suit. LOL. And lots of goodness. Hope you enjoy it! Please, please leave a review if you're liking what's going on. Thank you! Enjoy!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Just Here for The Party**

"Caroline will stake us both if we're late, sweetheart. Are you _ever_ coming out of there?" Damon looked at his watch, impatient.

"Perfection takes time. I've told you this," Lindsey said from the bathroom. She could have staked Caroline herself, for insisting on a formal event at this conference, but it was _Caroline_ they were talking about, and she was born to plan.

Keeping the dress a secret from Damon had been difficult. Lindsey had it custom made in Birmingham and even kept it at Melanie's so he wouldn't be tempted to peek. She finally told her best reporter friend her secret, and even though Melanie was shocked and unbelieving at first, once she figured out Lindsey was pretty much the same person she'd always been, she accepted it. Still, she didn't know Damon's whole history, which was better left unsaid, as far as Lindsey was concerned. But it was nice to have one friend who knew. Lindsey didn't have to watch what she said with Melanie, which was a relief.

Damon paced in the room. All he knew about the dress was that it was blue. In fact, Lindsey had the dressmaker create a silk tie and pocket square for his Armani suit that matched the dress. The sapphire was a color Damon might have chosen for himself anyway, so he didn't mind it.

"O.K. What do you think?" came her voice.

Damon turned to see his wife, and, much as when they married, he was momentarily speechless. Her gown was supple sapphire velvet. The bodice was fitted, with a sweetheart neckline, while velvet folds made the sleeves that draped over her arms. The A-line skirt fell from a slightly dropped waistline to the floor. Caroline worked her magic on Lindsey's hair, and the judicious use of extensions made it look full and wavy. A comb held it in an updo on one side. She wore the sapphire earrings, necklace and bracelet Damon bought her when they were first together. He cocked his head to one side as he looked at her and his grin was all the confirmation she needed. He went to her and took her hands. " _Bellissima, amore del mio cuore,"_ he murmured in her ear. She swallowed. When he lapsed into Italian, it gave her goosebumps. He continued to kiss and nibble at her neck until she pulled away.

"That's enough, you blue-eyed devil, or we're not going to make this party at all," Lindsey said.

Damon had visions of dancing with Lindsey in their room, and then getting her out of that dress. "I could live with that."

"Well, _I'd_ never hear the end of it from Caroline, so get your libido under control and let's go downstairs."

Damon sighed. "It's amazing how Caroline Forbes can be a cockblock and not even be in the same room with me!"

Lindsey laughed. "You horndog, you. I know your mind prefers to live in the gutter, but let's haul it out of there and be socially acceptable for one evening."

"If absolutely necessary," he said with a smirk. "But when we get back, I'm heading right back to the gutter, and I'm taking you with me!"

Lindsey smacked his arm. "I'm leaving," she said and opened the door. With another long-suffering sigh, Damon followed her.

The ballroom was packed when they walked in. Somehow, Caroline managed to get even the werewolves and witches to come, with the agreed-upon truce in place among all three species. Bonnie wore a green shantung dress that matched her eyes, and Caroline was in ice blue. Both looked beautiful. Lindsey spotted Elena talking to Elijah. She looked lovely in a black and gold dress.

"Lindsey!" Caroline squealed and Lindsey flinched. That squeal would have been painful to her human ears, let alone vampire ones. She hadn't seen the dress, either. She rushed up to Lindsey. "You look beautiful! That dress is fantastic!"

"Thanks. You and Bonnie look great, too. That blue is just beautiful with your hair and eyes. And Bonnie's dress makes her eyes pop. Good choice."

"Well, thank you. Did you pick sapphire because it would match Damon's eyes?" Caroline teased her.

Lindsey chuckled. "Good thought, but no. It's because my jewelry is all sapphire, since that's my birthstone. And Damon bought it for me and doesn't get to see me wear it much. But I like this color, so it worked out."

"It did, and Damon's rocking the suit, as usual. But he and Stefan are alike that way - they could show up in ripped jeans and dirty T-shirts with three-day beards and still manage to be the best looking men in the room."

Lindsey nodded. "Yep. I've actually seen Damon look that way. Made me drool."

Caroline grinned. "I wouldn't admit this for the longest time, but Damon Salvatore is definitely drool-worthy."

Lindsey grinned. "I agree. But now, Stefan's a handsome man, too. Mama Salvatore had pretty babies, that's for sure."

"Didn't she, though?"

"I know they had a few male cousins. Damon's mentioned them. I wonder if they were all as good-looking. Don't you know every female in the county probably had her eye on one of them back in 1864?" Lindsey mused.

"And they all probably wanted to crucify Katherine Pierce. Too bad they didn't succeed," Caroline said. She also despised Katherine for how she had damaged the brothers.

"I know. But that heifer finally got her comeuppance. Speaking of doppelgangers, looks like Elena is making nice with Elijah. Might be good if they got together."

"I think so. Elijah is really stable, so that could only be a good thing."

The two walked over to Caroline and Lindsey.

"Caroline, you are lovely this evening," Elijah said, bending over her hand. "And Lindsey, you're a vision."

"I'd say thank you, except you didn't say a vision of what," she teased, making Elijah grin.

"Cheeky," was his response.

"You know it. I love your dress, Elena. It looks great on you," Lindsey said, without a trace of insincerity.

Elena always felt as if she had swallowed an egg whole when Lindsey was so nice to her. "Thank you. I like your dress, too."

"Thanks," Lindsey replied with a smile.

Objectively, Lindsey's dress was beautiful, Elena thought. You had to give her that. Then, it dawned on her. She had asked herself over and over how it could be that Damon chose Lindsey over her. While not truly vain, Elena knew she was beautiful. She had a stunning figure, a bubbly personality. As she observed the woman who married Damon, she finally figured it out: Lindsey was a woman, not a girl. Damon might look 24, but he had been a vampire for 150 years, and he obviously needed a woman. The girl Elena had been was intriguing to him, but she wasn't what he really needed. Katherine was another arrested adolescent. But Lindsey was a fully matured woman. She was her own person. Elena hadn't figured out who she was yet when she and Damon met, but Lindsey had. She knew who she was. But that was all water under the bridge and Elena knew she needed to move on.

Lindsey felt more than a little sorry for Elena. Here she was, looking at the two men who had been her first real lovers, and they were both with other women. It had to hurt. She had never harbored any ill will toward Elena, so she was hopeful that eventually, they could be friendly to each other.

Lindsey turned to greet Bonnie, Minda and Alecia when someone grabbed her elbow and spun her around. "As always, the most beautiful woman in the room," Jakob said.

"Thank you, but you'd better hush or Damon is gonna beat you senseless."

"He never saw the day he could," Jake whispered in her ear. "Remember - you said you'd save a dance for me."

"I will. You look great in a tux, by the way."

"Well, I knew that," he said with a grin, and went to speak to Cecily.

"Something between you two?" Minda asked.

"Not intentionally. Jake and Damon go way back. I've known him for a good while, though." She turned. "Well, there you are, Stefan. Where have you been?"

"Talking to some people. You look beautiful, sis," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks, brother. You pull off a suit pretty well yourself." she answered.

He grinned. "Caroline made sure I'm put together."

"Me too." They both laughed, and Stefan left to speak to a friend.

"So what happened last night?" Bonnie asked. "We've heard rumors since we left breakfast about you getting into it with some old vampire."

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "This creep named George Neville. Big oaf. Damon, Jake and I ran into him in a vampire club in Fort Worth years ago. He wanted to make some time with me, but Damon wouldn't let him, of course. We had to call the manager. It was a little scary. Apparently, he has a long memory, and decided he wanted to try again. He cornered me in the meeting room after my presentation last night, and I ended up kicking him across the room and staking him in the stomach. Damon, Stefan and Jake came flying in about that time and Stefan kept me from literally tearing his head off. It was pretty bad, but no one died, so that's good."

Bonnie chuckled. "I know it sounds awful to laugh, but you told that just like it was the weather report or something."

Lindsey shrugged. "Well, no use making a bigger deal out of it than it was. I got lucky he hit his big, stupid head on the lectern. It knocked him silly for a minute. But Elijah kicked him out, so I don't have to deal with him tonight, thank the Lord."

Minda shook her head. "Lindsey, I said you're not like the others," she said. "Most of the other vamps around here would be bragging about how they kicked his ass. Not you."

"Nothing to brag about. Like I said, it was nothing but luck - that and my 'bodyguards' showed up at the right time." She shook her head.

"Oh, it was quite a bit more than that, love," said a voice from behind her. "Elijah got a copy of the video from the meeting room. You were quite impressive." Lindsey groaned inwardly. Why did _Kol_ have to show up? And Lindsey was going to smack Elijah for showing him the video.

Lindsey turned to Kol, mustering a smile. "Thanks. But I'd just as soon forget it ever happened."

"Oh, I won't, though. The image of you in full vampire mode, _hissing_ at Damon Salvatore? And actively wrestling with him for that stake? Definitely one of my most treasured visuals." His grin was evil, and his dark eyes twinkled with gleeful malice. That agitator. Lindsey wanted to slap him into the middle of next week.

Bonnie, Alecia and Minda were waiting rather breathlessly to see what Lindsey's reaction would be - as was Kol.

Lindsey narrowed her eyes at him. If Damon had seen her expression, he would've known what was about to happen. It was the same look he got when she was about to hand him his ass on a platter. "Kol," she said sweetly, "I'm so glad you got some entertainment out of that. It just confirms my thoughts that some people never grow up. Even when they're a thousand years old, they're still so- so _childlike_. It's heartwarming, really." Then, incredibly, she patted his cheek. "Bless your heart," she said and dropping a wink at Bonnie and her friends, walked away.

The three women fought to hide their smirks as they wished Kol a pleasant evening and drifted away, too. He looked around in frustration.

"I told you to leave her alone, but you couldn't do it, could you?" came Elijah's quiet voice.

Kol turned to see his oldest brother, his eyes alive with laughter. "Shut up, Elijah."

Elijah grinned at Kol. "Count your blessings. You got off pretty easy. She's capable of much worse. Her acid tongue rivals Rebekah's. Damon tells me she's nearly sent him into hiding with it."

"Why should anything Damon's wife says bother me?"

"Why indeed?" Elijah said. "Come on, Kol. You need a drink."

* * *

The band finally got ready to play and Damon bowed to Lindsey as the music started. " _Signora. Vuoi ballare?"_

" _Si, Signore. Grazie,"_ she replied, using one of the few Italian phrases she knew.

As Damon swayed with Lindsey on the dance floor, he whispered sweet Italian phrases in her ear. That stinker. He knew it messed with her brain when he spoke Italian to her. She understood about half of them. The rest she filed away for the translator app on her phone to define.

As the song ended, Damon kissed her and whispered, "Let's leave early - really early. I want to get you upstairs and out of that dress."

"I'll think about it," she murmured, nibbling his ear.

"You evil woman. Now I'm getting really uncomfortable," and he rubbed himself against her.

"Tough. You shouldn't wear such tight pants. Then you'd have more room to expand." She scratched his scalp lightly.

"You're going to regret saying that, you smart-mouthed wench."

"Oh, recite the alphabet backwards or something. Go get some alcohol. Bless Caroline's heart. A chocolate fountain!" Lindsey said, as she spied the tall apparatus on the table. She went straight to it and shortly had a plate filled with chocolate goodies. She was eating and talking to different people until she saw Damon's eyes on her. He was giving her smoldering looks. So, she picked up a mini pretzel stick and leisurely licked the chocolate from it. Damon watched her intently, and could feel his blood heating as she ate that damn pretzel. She knew what she was doing. Just like he knew they couldn't leave yet, much as he wanted to.

Lindsey could feel Damon's arousal through their bond, and she knew it was going to be difficult to get him to stay for any length of time. His libido was in overdrive. But there were a few people she wanted to see, and she had promised Jake a dance. She chuckled inwardly. It was probably a good thing Damon was a vampire. As a human with his sex drive, he probably would've had 15 children, and every good father in the county would've kept a shotgun trained on him so he wouldn't compromise their daughters' virtue.

Jakob found her to claim his dance, a very proper waltz. "I knew Damon would have a cow if I tried to do a cha-cha with you," he said, laughing.

"He's being impossible, now. He wanted to leave as soon as we got here. I've had to call him down a couple of times."

"He's looking daggers at us right this minute," Jake said with a smirk.

"I know it. If he doesn't straighten up, I'm dousing his lap with that pitcher of ice water on the table," she answered. They were close enough for him to hear what she said and she got an indignant look.

"You don't know how glad I am things have worked out for you two," he said. "God knows Damon deserves some happiness in his life. He's spent most of it being miserable."

"Thanks, Jake. That's sweet of you to say. Damon told me something kind of funny once, though."

"What's that?"

"That you were interested in me. In like having a relationship interested."

Jake ducked his head and spun her around. "Guilty," he answered. "You're a special woman, Lindsey. Any man who doesn't see that is a fool."

"So when did you kiss the blarney stone?" Lindsey teased him.

"A long time ago. Why do you think I flirt with you like I do - other than because I enjoy it? It reminds Damon that other men might think you're special too, and not to take you for granted. He needs to tell you on a regular basis how much he needs you."

"He does, believe me. Sometimes in Italian," she laughed.

"So my native German doesn't move you, _liebchen_?" he said.

"Sorry. Doesn't make my toes tingle like him saying, ' _mio cuore.'_ You need to find a nice woman, though. Cecily seems very sweet."

"She is. There may be something come up on that front, eventually. We have time, and she's been through the wringer where men are concerned, so…"

"I'll stand as a character witness for you, gladly," Lindsey said.

"Thank you." The song ended and he kissed her hand. "Thank you for the dance."

"You're welcome. I enjoyed it."

"If I don't see you before I leave, safe travels back - and you know my phone number. Call me if you ever need anything," he said.

"I will."

* * *

"She doesn't have the exotic looks of Bonnie and her friends, or Caroline's All-American blonde beauty, or Elena's Petrova fire, but there is something quite appealing about your woman, Damon," Enzo said as he approached his friend at the bar.

"Oh, Lindsey has _plenty_ of fire, believe me," Damon smirked.

"I know she does. Everyone in the hotel is talking about her encounter with George last night. You know, vampires are the most inveterate gossips," Enzo answered with a chuckle. "But no, there's something about her. I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Jake calls it an 'old-fashioned prettiness,'" Damon said, as he watched his wife dance with Jakob.

"Mmm. Maybe that's it. Put her in the right costume, and she could pass for a woman from the antebellum period. Suppose that's what attracted you to her?"

"Could be. But more because of that incredible mind, and her ability to see right through me and call me on my shit. She's not a doormat." He sipped his bourbon. "Explain love. I can't. I'm just grateful."

Enzo stared at his friend as Damon watched Lindsey hug Jake and then make her way to the refreshments. "Love's the only explanation I have for the changes - good changes - I've seen in you."

"Lindsey just expects me to behave myself, and I can't stand the thought of her being disappointed in me. That's worse than any tongue-lashing from her - and let me tell you, Enzo. That woman can throw a tongue-lashing on you that'll make your balls shrivel."

Enzo grinned, his brown eyes twinkling wickedly. "Stefan said something along the same lines."

"He's right. And if she thought little brother needed straightening out, she'd do it in a heartbeat. Wouldn't bother her at all. She's usually a little more diplomatic with Stefan, though," Damon answered.

"Probably because diplomacy has no effect on you, my friend."

Damon laughed. "You have a point."

* * *

Lindsey went back to the chocolate table and filled another plate. The blood-laced punch also helped satisfy that need. There were servers milling around who were available for feeding too, but they were compelled out of their minds, and some were looking fairly pale. One-shots were one thing, but some of these people had obviously been part of several vampire meals. One pretty girl was having a hard time staying on her feet and a couple of men were eyeing her. Good grief. Lindsey went over to the girl and spoke to her.

"Yes ma'am?" the girl said, vacantly.

Much as she hated to compel her further, Lindsey wanted the truth. "Be honest, hon. How many times has someone fed from you today?"

"Well, probably eight or ten times tonight, and maybe that many times again this morning and this afternoon," she answered.

"Are you feeling dizzy and weak?"

"Yes Ma'am," she answered.

"All right. Let's get you off the clock, right now." She found Caroline. "Care, this poor girl has been lunch probably 15 or 20 times today. She needs to go home."

Caroline saw the girl's pale skin. "You're right." She turned the girl to her. "Josie, it's time for you to clock out, now. Go on home, have a nice big breakfast in the morning and remember only that you had a good night at work. Nothing else. O.K.?"

"All right, Ma'am. Thank you."

"You're welcome." When the girl left, Caroline said, "Let me know if you see any more about to drop. Other than that, I think everything has gone so well! No fights, no arguments."

"Yet. The night is still young, but yeah. As usual, you planned an awesome party. I think making sure everyone has plenty to eat and drink - non-alcoholic stuff too - is a key. Wolves are pretty laid back as long as they're full of food, and witches don't usually cause problems anyway. It's the vamps."

"The rabble rousers give us all a bad name," Caroline said.

"I know it. I hope another old-fashioned waltz is on the set list," Lindsey said.

"There is. Damon and Stefan are both such good dancers, even if Stefan is kind of self-conscious about it. But they grew up waltzing like that. Damon's not self-conscious about anything, is he?"

"I haven't found it, if he is. Well, I take that back. Even though he did such a beautiful job with your mother's eulogy, he doesn't like public speaking. He can do it, but he doesn't like it. But dare him to strip down and do a pole dance on the stage? No problem." Lindsey chuckled.

"And you'll talk all day in front of people, but you'd rather be staked than show a millimeter of skin in public," Caroline said.

"One exhibitionist in the family is enough."

"So true," Caroline laughed.

"Have you had enough chocolate yet?" Damon's arms came around her and his voice was low in her ear.

"There's no such thing as 'enough chocolate.' You know that." She felt his chuckle rumble in his chest and held up a cube of pound cake coated in chocolate. "Have some," she offered.

He ate it from the toothpick, right out of her hand and she snatched her fingers back. "Down, boy," she said.

He swept her into a kiss. "Don't make offers you won't follow through with," he said against her lips.

She pulled back from him. "Let's keep the PDA to socially acceptable levels, how about it?"

"When I get you back to the room…" he whispered.

"We'll discuss that when we get there," she answered, and was gratified to hear him growl. She loved it.

The bandleader announced the waltz about that time and Lindsey grinned at Damon. "You wouldn't make me miss this, now would you? I know you wouldn't want to miss a chance to show off."

Damon raised an eyebrow at her as he led her to the dance floor and bowed to her. The music started and he took her hands and led her into a note-perfect waltz.

"What I'm gonna do to you when we get upstairs," he breathed in her ear.

"Promises, promises. I've heard the wind blow before, Damon," she breathed back, and followed it with a lick to the hinge of his jaw. She didn't have to hear his hissed intake of breath to know it affected him. She could feel it through their blood bond, which seemed to have strengthened since last night. She sent back feelings of love and being protected and cherished and he grinned at her.

"You're just too good at that bond thing," he said. "I told you a long time ago that you're psychic."

"And I told you that's nonsense."

Damon chuckled. "Believe it or don't. I know better."

Lindsey just harrumphed and said, "I'd better tell you: Elijah showed Klaus and Kol the video of what happened to George."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Had the conversation with Klaus this morning while you were talking to Bonnie and her witchy buds. But," he said, lowering his voice for her ears alone, "He also showed it to me. I know you were scared, and it kills me that you were, but you're still my kick-ass steel magnolia."

"I was lucky is what I was. It could have been very different if he hadn't hit his big, stupid head against that lectern. You'd better thank your sweet baby brother that I didn't rip the aforementioned head right off. I felt like it."

"Oh, I know you did. So did I. But when I saw the bit where we wrestled for the other half of that pointer and you were all vamped out and growling at me…" he grinned and shook his head. "All I could think was, 'What a woman!' I wanted to track you down right then."

Lindsey closed her eyes in embarrassment. "Oh, good Lord. Well, I'm glad nothing else happened," she replied. The dance ended and Damon looked like he was about to drag her back to their room, but she said, "No, not yet. We're staying for Caroline. And I'm having a nice time, so can you dial it back for a little longer?"

He actually gave her the pouty face and she shook her head. "I swear, sometimes, you act like you're 19 and never had a girl before. You're pitiful."

"I am pitiful. If you only knew," he answered, sounding hurt.

"Mmmm-hmm. I can tell," she said dryly.

About that time, Klaus showed up. "Dance with me, Lindsey, love?"

"Sure," she answered, sending reassurance to Damon, who was looking anxious.

It was a slower dance, but Lindsey kept her distance from the Original. No use provoking her husband.

"I think our hard work will pay off, don't you?" Klaus asked her.

"I do. I think it's a major accomplishment to get this many vamps together without any real incidents. But every supernatural needs to know about this. The kind of damage those people can do is incalculable."

"I agree. Are you still angry with me about Stefan?" he asked.

"I despise what you did to him. It was wrong on every level. It was morally reprehensible, and I think you can do better. You just don't want to because being amoral is much less effort."

Klaus shook his head, but his eyes were twinkling. "Save your sermon for Sunday, my sweet Lindsey. I feel for Damon. Does he have to endure these lectures?"

"Not since he straightened up, he doesn't. But if the need arises…"

"Oh, I'm sure you have a good tongue-lashing prepared at all times. I'll tell you a secret, though."

"What's that, Nick?" she asked.

"You've been good for that reckless hell-raiser. But don't you dare tell anyone I said so."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Wouldn't want to ruin your evil badass Original rep," Lindsey said with a smile.

Klaus actually grinned at her, with no malice behind it. "Lindsey, why do I always get the feeling you see much deeper into a person than you let on?" He always felt that her brown eyes saw straight into his soul.

"As I told Damon years ago, I'm a writer. I had to be able to read people pretty well to be a decent reporter. I guess it's just an instinct."

"Should I now be fearful that you'll dissect my psyche?" Klaus was only half-teasing.

"Only if you ask me to. I don't give unsolicited dissections."

He gave a short bark of laughter. "I must say, that's a relief. I suspect if I asked, you'd be brutally honest."

Lindsey grinned at him. "Nick, I'd let you have it with both barrels wide open and I'd nail your hide to the wall."

"And you'd enjoy it."

"Immensely. But you didn't ask, so you're safe."

"I'm thankful. I've said it before: you're an unusual woman, Lindsey Salvatore. Somehow, you managed to snag one of the more notorious womanizers our little tribe has ever seen. And he seems to like it."

"That's the secret, Nick: make them like it."

He snickered. "And the lovely Elena and my brother? If they should become a couple?"

"I wish them every happiness."

Klaus looked surprised. "You're serious. You mean that."

"Sure I mean it. I love Elijah to pieces and I don't have anything against Elena. If they make each other happy, that's wonderful. There's always room in the world for more happiness."

"Even for an Original badass like myself?"

"Even for you." The song ended, and Lindsey stepped away from him. "But you'll probably have to work harder to find it. Enjoyed the dance. Thanks for asking me."

Klaus kissed her hand. "My great pleasure, dear Lindsey."

She turned to find herself in Damon's arms again. "What were you and Klaus talking about?" he asked.

"You. And other things. Nothing for you to worry about, though. He did mention there may be something cooking between Elijah and Elena, though."

"Really? That's interesting. Never saw those two together. Talk about an age difference," he said and snickered.

"Be nice."

"Nope. Not feeling the whole 'nice' thing right now."

Lindsey shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Damon grinned. "Oh, I've got SO many suggestions," and he dropped his voice, "and not one of them can be done in public. Well, they could be, but you're so inhibited and all..."

"I have to laugh. It's either that or slap the snot out of you."

He dropped his mouth to her ear. "Take me upstairs to our room, and you can do what you want to me, up to and including slapping my bare ass red."

Lindsey looked at him. "I don't know why I should be shocked, but really, Damon!"

"What?" and he leered at her. "That dress turns me on. You turn me on, _cara dolce_."

"What's with the Italian tonight?" Damon's words were muddling her mind.

"Seems appropriate. And it's working. You're all wound up." He nosed up her neck. "Even without the bond, I can tell. You know I can smell it."

"Damon, people are staring at us."

"Let them stare."

"It may not bother you, but it bothers me a lot. You know that." She pulled back from him, and the term "smoldering" barely started to describe the look on his face. But she had plans for him, and she wasn't about to show her hand - not yet.

"We're not staying here all night," he said.

"Not at all," she replied.

"You are driving me nuts."

Lindsey grinned at him and whispered in his ear, "I'll make it worth the wait, I promise," and she disappeared into the crowd.

Frustrated and highly aroused, Damon saw her talking to a few guests when Stefan spoke to him, "She's leading you a merry chase tonight. I never thought she was the vixen type," he teased.

"Don't underestimate her."

"Oh, I wouldn't. You shouldn't either," Stefan replied a little cryptically. He clapped Damon on the shoulder and walked away. What the hell did he mean by that? And where was Lindsey? Damon scanned the crowd for her, but didn't see her. He couldn't hear her, no matter how he listened, couldn't smell her. Had she left without telling him? Then, he sensed her intense amusement through the bond, said, "That little brat!" and he left the ballroom.

* * *

Lindsey was glad their room was only on the sixth floor. She could make that in the stairwell in record time - much faster than the elevator. She hit their room, then zipped into the bathroom, giggling wildly. She wondered how long it would take Damon to get there. No matter - she had to get out of her dress, or he was going to rip it off, for sure, and she liked this dress. Fortunately, it had a side zipper so she could get to it. She shimmied out of it and hung it up in its garment bag. She downed a bag of blood - just for stamina - then took the comb out of her hair, fluffed her curls and reapplied her favorite cool red lipstick. Damon might just pass out when he saw what she had on underneath that dress. She heard the hotel room's door bang open and Damon's voice, "Come out of that bathroom, you…" Only he lost his voice when Lindsey opened the door.

Damon swallowed as he saw his wife leaning against the doorway of the bathroom, looking like every wet dream he ever had. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders in curls, and she wore a satin corset in navy that accentuated her lush curves. It had push up cups and she matched it with a pair of teeny panties and - holy of holies - stockings attached to the garters on the corset and navy heels. Her lips were blood red and begging to be kissed. Her eyes were outlined in the coffee-brown liner she favored, and they promised him everything he ever wanted. He knew his mouth was hanging open, but couldn't manage to close it.

"See something you like?" she purred. Where had this woman come from, Damon wondered. Had she been lurking inside his wife all along?

"Cat got your tongue?" she said, as she sauntered to him, took his tie in her hands and began loosening it. She tossed it across the room and started on the buttons on his shirt, after pulling it free of his trousers. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders, deftly removed the cufflinks from the shirtsleeves, and his shirt hit the floor, too.

"Have you-" and he had to clear his throat. "Have you had this thing on all night?" He ran one finger down the satin boning.

"Mmm-hmm. I sure have. I wanted to surprise you. I think I succeeded."

"Yeah, you did," he answered. His main thought was how to her get her out of the damn thing - _now_.

"It's kind of an unusual corset," she said, and starting from the top of the bodice, began unzipping the garment. She got about halfway and saw Damon's eyes about to pop. She pressed herself to his bare chest. "If you're interested, why don't you sit on the bed?"

"Um," he managed. Lindsey was tap dancing inside. She had him absolutely stunned. It didn't happen often and she was thoroughly enjoying it.

"On second thought, how about you take your shoes off? Facilitates the rest of it," she murmured in his ear, and immediately, Damon kicked his shoes away.

"Rest of what?" he asked.

"The rest of what I've got in mind for you," she answered.

Damon didn't know quite what to do, so for now, he would follow his wife's lead and see what happened. He was in an unusual position - for him - and Lindsey had his curiosity piqued. "And what would that be?" he said.

She just raised her eyebrows and brought her hands to the fastening of his trousers to undo them. That accomplished, she slid her hands down his hips, hooking her thumbs in his underwear as she did so, and peeled everything off. He stepped out of the puddle of clothing and met Lindsey's eyes. She was coolly appraising his nakedness and he - Damon Salvatore, who hadn't been shy about his body in well over a hundred years - had an irrational urge to cover himself. She ran her hands up his chest. "Have I ever mentioned you have the most gorgeous body? And this," she said, skimming her fingers over his backside, "It should be illegal for a man to have a butt like this. But Damon, sweetheart, I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked on a mouth suddenly gone dry.

"You were awful tonight. Just awful. You were at your most possessive, jealous, horny worst, and I think the only thing that kept a fight from breaking out was Elijah's presence. Under normal circumstances, I can handle myself and you know I'm not interested in any other man on earth. Who could compare to you?" Damon could hardly come up with a coherent thought. Lindsey's hands were still on his rear end, massaging it, and he was in a lust-induced haze. "And you told me I could do what I wanted to you, 'up to and including slapping your bare ass red,' I believe were your exact words. I think that's very appropriate, considering your behavior."

"Mmm-hmm," he hummed into her neck, not really comprehending her words until he felt a sharp _smack_! on his backside. His eyes flew open. "What the hell..?"

Once again, _smack_! Lindsey really put her shoulder into that one. "That got your attention," she smirked.

"You hellcat!" Damon squawked. He hadn't really said she could do that, had he? Well, he supposed he had. He sure as hell hadn't expected her to take him up on it, though. SMACK! He flinched. That one hurt! He looked at Lindsey and saw the mischief dancing in her eyes. He could feel self-satisfaction all along their bond, as well as the power she felt. Oh well, what was a little skin, anyway?

"That's not the answer I was looking for, babe," she said and swatted him again.

"O.K.! O.K.! I apologize for being a possessive ass, all right? Just lay off the corporal punishment, how about it?"

She licked up the length of his neck since, in her heels, she was nearly his height. "But it's so much fun," she said in a low, sexy voice that increased the hardness of his erection by a power of 10. She pressed herself against his groin and he groaned. "Lindsey, sweet darlin', please. You're killin' me here."

She grinned. When Damon started dropping his "g's," and his natural, old-fashioned Southern accent started breaking through, she knew he was losing it. Perfect. She backed him up to the bed and he obediently sat, scooting until his back was against the headboard. "Now what?" he rasped.

"Be quiet and be patient," she answered. Then, she swayed to a tune only she could hear, and toed her shoes off her feet. She reached down and unfastened the garters front and back. Lifting each leg in turn, she propped her foot up on the bed, rolled a stocking down her leg and dropped it to the side. She started sliding the zipper down on the corset slowly, millimeter by millimeter. Damon was gripping the sheets and couldn't have told someone his name if they'd asked. He was utterly mesmerized by the seductive striptease his luscious wife was giving him. She finally got that corset unzipped all the way and it dropped to the floor. Her panties followed in short order.

Lindsey went to the foot of the bed and slid her hands up the length of Damon's legs. She lifted his left foot and pressed two knuckles to his instep and brought them down in a rough massage. "Did you know that, for a guy your height, you have big feet?" she said, as she continued to rub his foot, which she dropped before picking up his right foot for the same treatment. She ran her hand up his leg to the one - the only - spot on his delicious body where he was ticklish: behind his knee. She goosed the exact spot with her fingers and he yelped and did his best to get free of her grasp, but it didn't work.

"Oh baby, stop teasin' me. I need you so bad," he whimpered.

Lindsey ran her hands up the length of his body and through his hair. She never got tired of touching his hair. She straddled his hips and bent her mouth to his ear. "You need me, huh? Tell me all about it."

"I need to be inside you. You're so tight and wet and hot." He moaned again as she deliberately shifted against his hardness. "I don't care how you do it woman, but please," and he whimpered as she rubbed her thumbs against his nipples and twitched against him again, "Please take my cock inside your body. I need you!"

Lindsey felt a surge of feminine power at hearing her husband, the notorious, womanizing man slut Damon Salvatore begging for her body like a puppy wanting a treat. It was heady, and certainly appropriate payback for all the times he insisted she beg for him. She leaned against him and kissed him, leaving red lipstick all over him. "So you're my man slut tonight, huh?" she teased, and reached behind her to stroke his length.

"Yes, I'm your man slut. I'm whatever you want me to be! What do I have to do?" He was really sounding desperate.

In general, even the most caring women have a vixen inside them, and Lindsey was no exception. Her inner domme was in control and she licked her lips. Damon saw the look in her eyes as she bent forward to lick the shell of his ear. "Call me Mistress," she said. Something in her voice made his breath hitch and as she backed up and he locked gazes with her, he saw her eyes were alive with mischief. Her hands had his shoulders pinned to the headboard and with her sitting on top of him, she had all the leverage, for all she wasn't his equal in strength. What was a little pride, anyway? She was his wife, his mate, and this was strictly between them.

"Please Mistress. Your man slut really needs some relief," he said low, and the look in his fabulous eyes was enough to set the room on fire. But the grin he got was worth the extreme discomfort. She leaned forward and kissed him again, giving him serious tongue, and then, leveraged herself up on his shoulders and brought her core down on his length, taking her time with it.

"Touch me," Lindsey commanded him. Damon reached between their joined bodies and found her button and stroked her. "That's it," she said and started moving on him. It felt damn good, but Damon wanted to be on top of her like nobody's business. A thought occurred to him.

He leaned forward to capture Lindsey's earlobe in his teeth. "If Mistress doesn't want to wear herself out, her man slut will be more than happy to take over the hard labor by being on top so all she has to do is lie back and enjoy herself."

Lindsey chuckled. "You're topping from the bottom, Damon. Betcha didn't figure I'd know what that was, did you?"

"Somehow, I'm not surprised. You know everything else," he groused.

"However, in this case, I think I'll allow it," she replied, and flipped them so he was on top of her. "Just remember, I have to get mine before you get yours."

"Absolutely, Mistress," he said, as he started thrusting into her body and was touching her, with occasional trips to her breasts to lick and suckle her. There was nothing that felt as incredible as Damon inside her body, and he was taking her hard and deep, all the while making sure Lindsey knew what she was doing to him. His growls in her ear were pure porn and she couldn't help but moan at his words. Only Damon could talk so dirty, but still make her feel like they were words of love.

When he was close, he nuzzled into her neck and dropped his fangs. She did the same and they bit together. Nothing like blood sharing to spur simultaneous climaxes. He knew how rare that was, and he reveled in the feeling as they both found release. "I'll never get enough of your body, babe," he whispered in her ear as they lay in some seriously exhausted bliss.

"Good to know. I'll never get enough of you, either, you blue-eyed stud."

Damon chuckled low and ran his hand down Lindsey's side. She shivered and returned the caress down Damon's back. He nosed her hair. "I always knew you liked a little control, but _damn_ , woman!"

"What?"

"Nothing. Just you. Always finding a way to keep me on my toes. Just when I think I've got you all figured out, you turn around and change the game on me."

"Is this a complaint?" she asked softly.

He softly nibbled her ear. "Oh, no. Not a complaint. Only an observation. Takes a special kind of woman to put me on the bottom and make me _like_ it," he purred.

"So I can do this again?" Lindsey said.

"Mmm-hmm. Except maybe for the spanking. Not sure about that."

She turned to pull him flush against her and ran her hand down his backside. "But Damon, you're such a _very_ naughty boy sometimes!" Her voice was husky and Damon could feel his body heating up again.

He exhaled at her touch and said, "Well, maybe the occasional tap." Lindsey obviously had no idea how much power she had over him. Otherwise, she'd be leading him around on a leash - and making him like it. Fortunately, she didn't want a puppy; she wanted a very hot, very badass vampire, and he was more than capable of filling that role.

Lindsey stroked his thick hair, and scratched his scalp, making him hum in pleasure. "I don't know what I'd do without you, sweetheart," she whispered to him. "You're everything I ever dreamed of having, and then some. I never would have thought to want a man like you. It would've been the impossible dream. I love you so, so much." She kissed him softly, and Damon wondered at the magic of this woman who made him feel human again. Maybe it was because she hadn't renounced her humanity that she could resurrect his.

* * *

"Glad to be going home?" Damon asked as they left Atlanta behind for quieter roads.

"Too glad. I was keyed up the whole time we were there," Lindsey answered. "Did you and Elijah have a productive meeting this morning?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Just talked about where to go from here, as far as this project is concerned. He said he'd be coming to the house again, or calling."

"I figured. As long as Nicklaus stays in New Orleans most of the time. He makes me itchy. If it weren't for Elijah…"

"I know. He's not my favorite person, either. Neither is Kol, but I think you put the fear of God into him," Damon chuckled.

"He's spoiled rotten, is what he is. That's why he's such a pill. He's a brat. I'll bet his Mama waited on him hand and foot when he was little, and now he thinks everybody else is supposed to do the same thing. Just a spoiled rotten Mama's boy."

Damon howled with laughter. "Have I mentioned how much I love your assessments? Oh God, but that's good. So what's up with Klaus, you think?"

Lindsey shook her head. "Father issues. Sort of like yours, but worse. And he just took it to the darkest extreme. And after a while, you get in so deep it gets tough to get out, no matter how much you might want to."

Damon reached to take her hand. "And sometimes, someone cares enough to haul you out by the scruff of your neck. Even if it takes a block and tackle to do it."

"It was worth the effort," she answered, smiling at him. She sighed as they pulled into the driveway. "Oh, I'm so happy to be home. Did you know Stefan spent the better part of Wednesday afternoon burying some kind of talismen something or others Bonnie gave him for us to protect the property? Apparently, she gave him specific instructions about what went where, and he came out here and buried every last one of them."

Her husband chuckled. "Stefan loves you. He considers you the source of my redemption, so he's willing to do anything for you."

"Mercy," Lindsey said. "But it's because he loves _you_ , Damon. You know that."

"I know. He's all right."

She knew that was about as much as Damon was willing to say on the subject. She was the only one now who got an "I love you" from him. He tended to show his affection in other ways, like in his nicknames for Bonnie and Caroline, and in teasing Stefan about his hair. Or, he'd do something incredibly generous, then disavow all knowledge of it. That was just Damon.

The familiar peace of the old house laid gentle hands on them again as they went inside. It really was good to be home.

* * *

 **Oh - to answer a question: No, Kol does NOT have a crush on, or an interest in Lindsey. He's just being an annoying little nit. He wants to needle Damon, and hitting on his mate is the best way to do it, he figures. Just being a wart. Hope that clears that up! And now, reviews? Pretty please? Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Winds of Change

**A/N: Yes, I know. It's been entirely too long since an update. My most profound apologies. Life intervened. However, here's the latest installment! I hope you all enjoy it. Please, even though it's been a while, please review! Let me know what you think. Life is about to get interesting for everyone. Thanks and love to all!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: The Winds of Change**

 **August 2016**

Lindsey applied a clear coat of lip gloss as Damon lounged on the bed in the hotel room in Whitmore. She was giving her presentation to the Board of Trustees and she was nervous. Damon could see it in her agitated motions and could feel it through the bond.

"You'll be fine," he reassured her. "Just go through the program and it'll all work out."

"I guess," she said, and looked over to him. "How can you be so cool? It frustrates me that I'm all tied up in knots about this, and there you are, chilled out and completely relaxed. It's worse than frustrating. It's disgusting." She brushed her hair as Damon fought to hide a grin. "Stop smirking at me, you wart," she snapped. It had the opposite effect as his grin widened and he chuckled. She glared at him.

Damon stood and went to his wife. He folded her in his arms and stroked her hair. "You faced down George Neville with a broken wooden pointer. This is a cakewalk. No worries." He kissed her temple, knowing she'd hurt him if he messed up her lipstick.

She sighed. "I hope you're right."

"Your car's probably here by now. Get your stuff and go get 'em babe. Wish I could be there to see it." He badly wanted to be there, but knew he might not be able to control himself.

"Me too, but if you'll hold down the fort here, I can do this knowing you're waiting on me."

"You know it. Got plenty of blood on board?"

"Yeah. I had an extra bag. I want to go in there full so I won't be tempted."

"Good thinking. But I wouldn't worry about you, anyway. You're not apt to lose it like that." Damon handed Lindsey her bag containing her laptop and other papers. "Give 'em hell," he said.

"I'll do my best," she said, giving him a brief kiss.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Lindsey Hargrove. My purpose in meeting with you this morning is to discuss the support Whitmore University has been giving to the Brotherhood of the Sun, also known as the Augustines. Members of this organization have been conducting illegal research using Whitmore money and facilities. In fact, it's come to light that private funds donated to support various scholarships have been diverted to this endeavor. I don't think I have to elaborate on how serious that is. That kind of funds misappropriation could get Whitmore's accreditation revoked, and their state monies cut off." She looked at each of them, and once again, felt her fangs itch at the sight of Clinton Foley IV. He was looking oh-so-distinguished in his designer suit - Armani, if she didn't miss her guess. Living with a man who loved designer clothing gave her an education in menswear.

Foley, for his part, looked at the woman and something about her made him extremely uncomfortable. Her black slacks and blazer were strictly off the rack, as was her magenta top, but her diamond drop earrings and circle pendant were quality, as was her watch. Her sapphire ring was antique, he was sure. Her whole demeanor spoke of the kind of assurance old money gives, but he couldn't place her in any of the region's wealthy families. She was a reporter, and that was all he'd been able to find out about her. Several years before, she'd covered a daycare center in Birmingham where children were being abused. Her stories, and those of her colleagues helped get the place shut down. Clearly, she knew what she was doing. She was a dangerous woman, he was certain. And she knew his connection to the Brotherhood, he was equally sure. She looked at him as if she could see into his innermost being. He wasn't accustomed to being so thoroughly analyzed so quickly. Normally, people didn't catch on to what he was, but he could tell Lindsey Hargrove knew he was a psychopath - Foley knew it himself. Very, very dangerous, he thought.

Lindsey continued her presentation, well aware Foley was assessing her. Occasionally, she met his eyes and had to suppress a shudder. She'd never seen a snake with blue eyes, but Foley's eyes were as saurian as a human's eyes could be.

One of the trustees said, "Ms. Hargrove, not to disrespect your work, but honestly, do you really expect us to accept the idea of vampires, werewolves and the like?"

Lindsey gave the man a half-smile. "Mr. Toland, it doesn't really matter whether you, or I, or anyone believe in supernatural beings. The point is that these 'scientists' do believe in these beings, and they're dedicated to researching them. Whether these creatures actually exist is beside the point. I have sworn depositions from no fewer than 50 women who swear they were abducted, drugged and used in experiments with men they were told were vampires. Were they actual vampires? I don't know. I don't care. But these women lost months of their lives in research labs right here on the Whitmore campus, and this university, either deliberately or inadvertently, funded and supported that very illegal research. Some of these women were Whitmore employees! They say they were found suitable for the research because of their lack of close family ties. These women were interviewed separately, and without knowledge of the others. But their stories all have a disturbing similarity. They were all single women without close family. Their stories correlate very closely." She stole a glance at Foley. He looked like he was about to come out of his skin.

"Why are you telling us all this?" Foley finally spoke. "You're not an attorney. It's not like you have any legal standing. What's your stake in all this? Just being a good Samaritan and helping these women? I find that difficult to believe." His tone was oily and condescending.

Lindsey's fangs itched again. For a nickel, she'd jump the table, tear his throat out and enjoy it. But she had a larger agenda than personal satisfaction. "Mr. Foley, I'm a reporter. You know that. You also know the kind of damage it could do to this school if any of this made the papers. One story - and I wouldn't even have to be the one to write it - would close this place down. Parents would pull their children out of school, all the ethical faculty members would quit, and the state would likely step in to investigate on the financial charges, alone. Every member of this board could be up for ethics violations. This is a state school and you're paid trustees, making you state employees, and responsible for the financial situation at the school. It would be a shame if a school that has contributed so much legitimately to the community and academic world were closed because the Trustees refused to shut down an illegal program. And then, of course, there's the legal ramifications. The civil suits would be rampant, and there would probably be criminal charges, too, and probable cause wouldn't be hard to find."

Her statement sank in for a moment, and the chairman of the Trustees looked like he was going to be sick all over the table. He finally cleared his throat and said, "So what do you suggest we do?"

"Shut down the program. Re-allocate all the funds to make sure they go where they're supposed to go. Hand the researchers their pink slips, and re-organize the Trustees. Anyone with even a tenuous connection to the program needs to go," she answered. Foley's eyes blazed with hatred, Lindsey could see, and she knew she'd made a real enemy.

"And if we don't?" the chairman said.

She shrugged. "How do you think the Virginia Commission on Higher Education would feel about these allegations? The proof is there. The records are there. I think the Virginia taxpayers deserve better allocation of their hard-earned tax dollars than spending it all on illegal research, don't you?" She gathered her things together. "I'll just leave you to discuss it. But people, I'd really make sure it was shut down. You'll be better off. Have a good day." She left the room.

Outside in the hall, Lindsey stood, listening to the commotion inside the meeting room. She could easily hear the arguing going on. Clinton Foley, not surprisingly, was saying she was just a "rabble-rouser" who'd believe any sob story, and thought these women were serious. It was sad, he said, when someone who had such good reporting credentials would follow a wild goose chase like this. Vampires, indeed. What hogwash! Lindsey shook her head and chuckled silently. He talked a good game, for certain. If only they could find a direct link from Foley to the Augustines, but so far, nothing. But Lindsey knew there was a connection. She could feel it to her core.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Damon asked when she walked into the hotel room.

"About like I thought it would. They gave me shocked looks, said all the appropriate things, and then proceeded to talk each other out of doing anything about it," she answered drily and grimaced.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Sounds about right. Now what?"

"I keep my appointment with the Commission on Higher Education in Richmond tomorrow afternoon."

He nodded. "How do you think they'll react?"

She shrugged. "Dunno. But I have a suspicion that, with all these sworn statements, they'll take it seriously. Even if they think the women were too drugged out of their minds to be rational, they'll have to admit the victims were abducted and held against their will. And the fact that half of them were Whitmore employees just adds to the issue. There's just so much wrong here that I don't think the commission can ignore it."

"Foley?"

"In it up to his armpits, but I can't make the direct connection. But it's there, sure as I'm standing here. It's there.

"You'll find the connection. And when you do, it's all over for his kind," Damon assured her.

"You sound pretty sure about that," Lindsey answered.

He shrugged one shoulder. "Sometimes, I get funny feelings, too," he said.

"Hope they're right about this. I just can't believe those idiots on the Board of Trustees managed to talk themselves out of this, like all those women lied about their experiences. Well, Foley talked them out of it. I've rarely seen such indiscriminate narcissism." She stopped and chuckled. "Well, maybe Klaus. He's pretty close. Kol, too. But you know," she began and sat down, "Klaus and Kol are the way they are, I think, because of outside circumstances. They had to become what they are to survive - or felt like they did, anyway. They weren't born to be killers. But Foley's a different kind of evil. He's just evil because he gets off on it. I didn't get close enough to smell him, thank goodness, but I'm betting when he was telling me I was pretty much off my rocker, and had no credibility, and when he was convincing the Board to take no action, he had a hard-on." She shuddered. "Yuck. I don't even like to think about that psycho being able to procreate. Gives me the heebie-jeebies."

"I could take care of _that_ worry for you, at least," Damon answered, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I don't want you within half a mile of that nut," Lindsey answered. "You don't know how difficult it was for me to stand there and listen to him spew his venom. My fangs were aching to drop. The only thing that stopped me was the idea of drinking his putrid blood. Bleccchh." She made a face and her husband laughed out loud.

"Not if you were starving, huh?" Damon teased her.

"Not if he was the LAST immigrant grocer on earth!" she shot back, borrowing a line from some 80s music video, making Damon laugh again.

"Leave it to you to remember that video," he said. He patted the space next to him on the bed. "C'mere."

Grinning, Lindsey went to sit down next to her husband on the bed. "What?"

"I just like to see you when you're all business and being my sexy reporter girl."

"So how many reporters have you dated, anyway?" she asked.

An odd look crossed Damon's face. "Quite a few, believe it or not. I've always been attracted to smart women who could keep up with me. Reporters always seemed to be able to do it. Some of them even manage to stay a step or two ahead," he said with an arch smile.

"Is that so?" Lindsey said.

"Absolutely." He turned and was suddenly on top of her, his knee between her thighs, his mouth on her neck. "And that reeeaally turns me on."

Lindsey gave him a quick kiss. "I think I've mentioned everything turns you on - even reading the phone book."

"Who has phone books anymore?" he said.

"There's probably one from 1976 at the house, somewhere," she answered.

"Yeah, probably." He nuzzled in her neck again, nipping the tender skin. "I never get tired of this," he murmured.

"Me either."

"That's good, because you're going to be in this position a lot over the next several decades, centuries… you know."

"I'm counting on it," Lindsey answered him, laughter in her voice. She pulled his mouth to hers for a searing kiss. "And as much as I'd love to continue doing what we're doing, I have to put together my presentation for the state people tomorrow. We may be vampires, but we can't do much about the passage of time. And I'll need it to get ready."

Damon's sigh was long and pitiful. "O.K. Do what you need to do." He rolled away from her and she sat up. She patted his knee.

"We'll continue this. Just not right this minute. I've got to get those affidavits collated. That's how I'm going to get them. The Commission on Higher Education won't dismiss them like the Trustees did. That and the financial records. I gave the Whitmore people a chance to do the right thing, but they dismissed me. So, off to Richmond I go." Lindsey shrugged. "I have no sympathy for any of them. If they lose their jobs and reputations, good enough for them. They did it to themselves."

Damon grinned at his wife. He wanted the Augustines brought down, too - for what they did to him, to Enzo, to countless others, vampire and human. They made him turn off his emotions when the guilt over Enzo became too much to handle. He was a relatively decent guy until then - no angel, by any means - but the Augustines turned him into a monster, and he would be satisfied to see them brought down. "Kick ass and take names," he said.

Lindsey nodded. "I intend to," she answered.

* * *

"Ms. Hargrove, do you believe these women?" Sonya Stafford, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, was clearly disturbed by the testimony of the Augustines' victims.

"I believe they were abducted and drugged. The records support that. Their accounts are consistent," Lindsey answered.

"Granted, but vampires? You're asking this Commission to believe in the existence of _vampires_?" Stafford pressed.

" _You're looking at one,"_ Lindsey thought, but said, "Not at all. All I'm asking is you believe these women when they say they were abducted and used as research subjects without their consent, using taxpayer dollars. Maybe this was actually for some kind of 'Manchurian Candidate' type of psychological experiment. Who knows? But I do believe these women were kidnapped, and used as human guinea pigs. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what they were told. Only that it happened and they were too afraid to go to law enforcement. And you can't blame them. They'd have been turned over for psychiatric evaluation. Who'd have believed them?"

"You obviously believed one of them," Stafford pointed out.

"I believed something _happened_ to them. It didn't feel like one of those alien abduction stories. And when I started digging, I found other women with similar stories. There were too many to dismiss, so I started checking them out, and what I found shocked me. I was appalled that this kind of thing goes on in this country in the twenty-first century. It's beyond appalling."

"Well, I have to agree with that," Stafford said. "So, could you arrange for any of these women to speak with us personally?"

Lindsey nodded. "Of course. Three of them now live in the Richmond area. They'll be glad to talk with you - answer any questions you have. I have my laptop and we can Skype with one of the women right now, if you want to."

Stafford's eyes widened. "Really? Yes, I think that would be very helpful. How long will it take to set up?

"Just a few minutes. I just need to get my laptop up and running. I'll text her now and she can be ready when we are." Lindsey tapped out a message on her phone. The response wasn't long in coming. "She's glad to talk with you. Her name is Vivian Russell. She was a secretary for the Whitmore science department."

"All right," Stafford said. "I'm sure we're all interested in her story."

Lindsey had the computer ready and the Skype program running. A woman's face appeared on the screen and she smiled at Lindsey. "Hey. I was wondering if you'd need to talk to me," she said.

"Absolutely. Vivian, this is Sonya Stafford, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, and the rest of the commissioners. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Vivian Russell. I'll just step out of the room so you can ask her whatever you want, and so you'll know her answers aren't influenced by my presence." Lindsey walked out, but of course, could hear what went on. Stafford questioned Vivian in detail about her abduction and experience while in captivity. A commissioner came out and motioned for Lindsey to return to the room. She said goodbye to Vivian and ended the session, then turned to look at the commission members. They were somber, some pale with shock. Lindsey knew Vivian would tell her story well, and felt she would be the most effective witness for the prosecution, as it were.

Stafford cleared her throat. "Ms. Hargrove, I'm sure you know how shocking Ms. Russell's story is. But she certainly confirms your assertions. Apparently, we have an illegal program running at Whitmore University. And it needs to be shut down immediately." She turned to the commission. "Recommendations?"

"We'll have to dissolve the Board of Trustees and elect new members. I'd also recommend we terminate the president's contract and I don't know who all," said one of the commissioners. "It's the only way to keep this from continuing. We'll have to fire the dean of the science department too, since he would have to know something's going on. If he's deaf, dumb and blind to something like this going on in his department, then he doesn't deserve the job, anyway."

Murmurs of agreement greeted this statement and Stafford turned to Lindsey. "Ms. Hargrove, as difficult as it is to believe this is going on in 2016, apparently it is. The financial records are clear and the statements are credible. Thank you for bringing this to us."

"I wish I didn't have to, but I couldn't stand by once I found out."

"I'm glad you didn't." Sonya Stafford extended her hand and Lindsey shook it, then the other members in turn. "We'll be in touch about our decision. Are you available for testimony if we end up in court?"

"Definitely," Lindsey answered. "Here's my card with all my contact information. Keep me updated."

"We will. Thank you again."

Lindsey nodded and smiled at the commissioners and left, feeling like she had done a good day's work.

* * *

"Well?" Damon pounced on Lindsey the minute she walked into their hotel room.

Lindsey grinned. "Commission on Higher Ed is about to clean house at Whitmore. They were talking about dissolving the Board of Trustees and electing all new members, canceling the president's contract, getting rid of the provost, and the dean of the science department! I told them, of course, I'd be glad to testify in court if it came to that. But I knew they wouldn't dismiss this. I left them copies of all the relevant records that are safe for them to see. The financial records are enough all by themselves to shut it all down. Add the abductions, and that's just the cherry on top. I need to call Elijah. He'll be tickled."

Damon put his hands on her shoulders and fairly beamed at her. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, and then shook his head.

"What?" Lindsey said. But she could feel warmth and his pride radiating through the bond.

"You." His voice was low, intense. "You're the most incredible, beautiful woman I've ever met and you agreed to take me on. You love me. You even turned for me. And now, you've done what no one else has managed to do. You've brought down the Augustines. Klaus couldn't do it. Elijah couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. But you - you and that brilliant mind of yours. You took them out." A look of bemused wonder crossed his handsome face and he folded Lindsey into his arms, his cheek on her head, one hand stroking her hair. "My fearless warrior angel. I'm so proud to be your husband." He tightened his embrace. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

She pulled back and smiled into his eyes. "You loved me. Just as I am, as I stand. You loved me."

Damon's sigh was soul-deep and heartfelt. "For once in my miserable life, I did something right. And I can't screw it up. You won't let me."

"Stop that. You're not miserable. Never have been." Her tone was firm.

"OK. I won't argue with a kick-ass steel magnolia like you. It never ends well." He tipped her chin up and the kiss he gave her was beyond tender, beyond sweet. Lindsey threaded her fingers through his hair and returned the kiss, which abruptly turned hot. Suddenly, her back was against the wall and Damon had her pinned there, holding her up by her thighs, her weight no burden to him. "Have we ever done it up against the wall?" he growled in her ear, following his question with burning kisses down her neck.

"No, and no need to when there's a perfectly comfortable bed five feet away," she answered, laughing.

"Five feet too far," he groused, but turned with her in his arms and in a flash, had her on the bed, with his deft, wicked fingers slipping the buttons from their moorings. He softly bit the flesh underneath her bra, then that too was gone, as were her slacks and underwear. Lindsey unbuttoned Damon's shirt, but didn't get any farther before he shucked his jeans and shorts and had entered her. She gasped with the suddenness of his body inside hers, but he just chuckled, albeit a little breathlessly. "I swear, I'm investing in a kilt. They're easier to get off. Or maybe," he said as he thrust into her body, "we'll just become nudists."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Lindsey gasped.

"Damn right, I would. You'd come around, eventually." He increased his pace and as Lindsey met every stroke, she felt herself nearing her climax, and knew Damon was close too, when she saw his fangs drop and his eyes change. He struck for her neck, which pushed her over the edge, and she returned the bite, spurring his release.

As they relaxed into each other, Lindsey said, "Needed a quickie, huh?" But her tone was teasing.

"I needed _you_ ," he answered, which Lindsey knew was Damon telling her with his body what he couldn't always say out loud.

"I hope you'll always need me, just like I need you," she murmured in his ear.

"Don't you ever doubt it," he answered.

* * *

 **September 2016**

A month or so had gone by since Lindsey made her presentations at Whitmore and in Richmond. She hadn't heard anything since, but read the excited email from the _Sanguinem_ editor with interest. She followed the link in the email and as she scanned the page, her eyes widened. "Damon! Come here. You've got to see this," she called.

He appeared in the office doorway, tea glass in hand. "What is it?"

"The editor at _Sanguinem_ sent me this link. Check out this page," she said.

He peered at it over her shoulder. "I'll be damned. Where did all this come from?"

"I have no idea. Neither do the _Sanguinem_ people, which is unusual. I'm not sure if it's generated within the community, or where," Lindsey answered.

Damon thought about it. "Slater would have loved this. Could be Alice, his girlfriend. Looks like something he'd do."

"Yeah," Lindsey said. She knew about Slater, the vampire who researched vampires. His files and history were exhaustive. In the rare instance where Lindsey was irritated about something Elijah did, she was irked with him for killing the geeky vampire. His knowledge could have come in handy.

The page in question was on a website called "The U.S. Supernatural Index," and listed the known vampires, werewolves and witches in the United States. By far the most extensive page was for vampires, and most useful of all, traced back their sire line to the Original who started it.

"Here's you and Stefan," she said. She was glad to see their line traced back to Elijah. Well, it was her line, too, since it was Damon's blood in her system when she turned. And that answered one question she knew Damon had, since Klaus had always maintained Damon and Stefan came from his line. She clicked on Damon's name. His picture popped up, along with his date of birth, approximate turning date, a brief bio sketch and the names of those vampires known to be sired by him. Then, there were the chilling statistics under the header "Kills." It was divided into humans, and then other supernaturals. The number under humans had a question mark beside it. It was "10,000-plus." The numbers of other supernaturals were much smaller. "Is that accurate?" Lindsey asked.

"I hope not," he answered. Seeing that number wasn't healthy for a vamp who wanted to keep the switch on. "Look. It also names me as an Augustine captive."

"I see that."

"Well, there you are, below my name. Under my sire line."

"Oh, crap. Might as well see what it has to say." Lindsey clicked on her name. Her picture appeared. "That's interesting. That picture was made at the conference in Atlanta. And it says the entry was created two weeks afterward."

"They must not have known about you until then."

"Apparently not. But it also means they were probably at the conference, which I would hope means they're not interested in eradicating vampires. There's been a ton of work done on this site. I wonder if anyone ever takes it seriously." The tone of the site was more comic-con than factual, which she hoped would throw unaltered humans off the scent.

Damon pointed to the screen. "Look at the bottom. It says, 'For entertainment purposes only.'"

Lindsey nodded. "Standard legalese to keep them from getting sued in case someone decides something is slander. Probably a witch, since a vampire likely wouldn't bother. Too risky." She kept reading. "They don't have much on me. Turning date is a question mark. Not even my birthday. My birth year is listed as 1975, with a question mark."

"Little late on that one," Damon smirked.

"Just a tad. Humm. They know I was a reporter, and that we're married. Oh. Listen to this." She read aloud, "'Salvatore has no known kills to her record.' Well, that's accurate, thank goodness. 'Although sired by - as well as married to - one of the more notorious vampires of the past 100 years,'" and here she grinned at Damon, who just rolled his eyes, "'she keeps a low profile and seems uninterested in mimicking her sire's/husband's history, preferring to live with him in their country home in Alabama.'"

"Jeez," Damon muttered. But at least the author knew Lindsey wasn't a killer vamp. "Click on Stefan's name."

Lindsey did and the page popped up. "Wow. Someone is really interested in your brother," she said. There was a wealth of information on Stefan, primarily focused on his history as a Ripper, calling him one of the most prolific serial killers of the 20th century. She didn't know what it did to Damon, but seeing Stefan portrayed like that hurt Lindsey's heart. Yes, she knew that side of her brother-in-law existed, but he was doing his very best to keep it under control, with the help of Caroline and those who loved him. Damon had finally come to the conclusion that it wasn't so much that Stefan couldn't accept what he was, but that he simply couldn't handle straight human blood. It was too much for him. As Lindsey said long ago, Damon just wasn't the type of vampire who became a Ripper. As usual, she was right. She sighed and shook her head. "Poor Stefan, to be reduced only to the worst things he ever did. You can't deny these things happened, but he's better than this."

"'The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones,'" Damon quoted.

Lindsey gave him a sidelong glance. "Better watch it. Someone will catch on that you had an excellent classical education." His fluency in Latin came in handy occasionally, he grew up speaking Italian with Giuseppe and was conversant in French and Spanish. He could have been a noted linguist.

"Don't spread it around," he said. Lindsey snickered. Although she didn't see how it was possible if you talked to the man for five minutes, Damon preferred it when people thought he was simply a pretty face. They tended to underestimate him because of it, which gave him a tactical advantage.

Damon's thoughts ran along the same lines, only he was thinking it took Lindsey about 30 seconds to see right past the face. She looked into his eyes one time and had him nailed to the wall, character-wise. It took him much longer to get a bead on her, strange as that was. He wasn't sure he'd ever get to the total depths of his beautiful mate. Having a centuries-long lifespan seemed much more pleasant now that he had Lindsey. He reached to stroke her hair and she smiled at him.

"What are the _Sanguinem_ people saying about the site?" he asked.

"They're concerned. I mean, for those of us who are supernaturals, it's a great resource, but if someone actually took it seriously, it could be a disaster."

"Yeah, and someone probably will take it seriously. That worries me," Damon answered.

"Me too. Oh, look - here's Jakob. They got most of his information correct. Look at the photo. That was made at the conference, too. See, there's that weird painting on the wall of the ballroom. Caroline, too. Of course, she and Elena both are under your sire line. And here in the witches' section is Bonnie. And that werewolf you know, Tyler Lockwood. He's here, too. Whoever put this together is tolerably well informed."

" _Too_ well informed for my comfort," Damon said darkly.

"Mmm-hmm. I just hope most people wouldn't believe anything on the page if they did read it. It's not the average person I'm worried about. It's the ones who are a little ga-ga in the head anyway. They're very susceptible to this stuff. I'm just glad Bonnie put the protection wards around the house the last time she was here. We might need them if this page gets any kind of widespread notice." Lindsey looked up at her husband, concerned.

"Really. I need to email Vampire Barbie too, so she can tell Stefan about this, before he sees it on his own. It'll go down a lot easier if she tells him." He sighed and fished his phone out of his pocket to email Caroline. He didn't text or call unless he had to.

* * *

"Caroline was pretty upset about that page," Damon said.

"I know. I heard when she called you. I don't blame her. She loves Stefan. I'm glad he has someone like her who does," Lindsey answered. It was late, they were in bed, and she was snuggled to Damon's side.

"I am too. She said he was pitiful and got this hangdog look when she told him." Damon's voice was sad.

"That's terrible. Call him tomorrow. I know he'd like to hear from you," Lindsey said.

Damon smiled in the darkness. Lindsey was always promoting better brotherly relations. And usually, she was right. "I will." He turned and gave her a deep kiss. "Good night, love."

Lindsey returned the kiss. "Good night," she said. She slept, but in the back of her mind was the little, nagging worry that someone with evil intentions might see that website.

* * *

 **Well? Does it merit a review? Please?** :)


	8. Chapter 8: Stand a Little Rain

**A/N: Hello, peeps! So glad to see you all again. Hope you're still with me on this one! The muse has finally decided to be kind, so this chapter came a little faster than they have done. Please read and review. I appreciate it so much! Enjoy!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Stand a Little Rain**

 **November 2016**

Damon half-dozed in his recliner when a letter landed in his lap. He started awake. "What's this?"

Lindsey quirked a brow at him. "Read it."

He picked up the letter, noticing it had the Virginia Commonwealth seal at the top. He glanced at Lindsey and then started reading. He whistled, low. "Damn."

"Tell me about it. But it's what I told the Trustees would happen. But they listened to Foley. Now they're in major hot water."

"My heart bleeds for them," Damon said dryly and Lindsey chuckled.

"Mine too."

The letter was from Sonya Stafford, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education. It detailed the steps the Commission took after initiating an investigation of its own into the Brotherhood of the Sun. The Board of Trustees was dissolved, the dean of the science department was fired, as well as the provost and the CFO. The president kept his job due to a legal knot in his contract, but the Commission appointed a blue ribbon Oversight Committee to shadow everything that happened both in the science department and in the accounting offices. A complete forensic audit revealed the diverted funds, and heads rolled in the accounting department, too. All told, some 17 people lost their jobs or positions, with possible criminal charges of fraud and malfeasance to follow for the CFO and his chief accountant.

"For the next 10 years, all monies donated to Whitmore University will be overseen by my committee," Stafford wrote. "Every federal grant to the science department will be audited and tracked. My committee will account for every penny going into and out of that department," Damon read aloud and crowed with laughter. "With the state bean counters in charge, they won't be able to buy a box of kleenex in that department without filling out a request form in triplicate! I love it when the punishment fits the crime. Jail wouldn't have bothered some of those bastards too much. They'd have considered it an honor in the service to the Brotherhood. Cut off their cash, though, and you might as well amputate their balls." He laughed again and leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face.

"I thought it was pretty appropriate, too," Lindsey answered.

She started for the kitchen, when Damon grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap, and kissed her soundly. "You pit bull. You got that bone in your teeth and you weren't about to turn it loose." He kissed her again.

"Nothing would've come of it if Elijah hadn't managed to score the financial and research records. Most of the credit goes to him. You can have suspicions all day long, but if you can't back them up with paperwork, you've got butkus," Lindsey answered. "I can't take credit for what he did."

Damon shook his head. Lindsey's strong convictions were as firm now as they were before she turned. He knew he wouldn't be able to convince her that she'd done amazing work. So, he nibbled her earlobe. "Will you at least take credit for making me a happy man?"

"If you'll take credit for making me a happy woman," she replied.

"And admit that you've had a part in taking down some pretty nasty people?"

"Only a part. Something like this is never just one person. It's always a team effort."

"O.K., O.K." He made his way from her ear back to her mouth and gave her a tender kiss. He cradled her in his arms and held her for several minutes, unwilling to let her get up. She snuggled to him and scratched his scalp, eliciting his familiar hum of pleasure.

"You need to let me get up or there won't be fried apple pies for dessert."

"You're making fried pies? In that case, go in the kitchen," Damon said, grinning.

"Thanks." Lindsey went into the kitchen and Damon continued dozing. He could smell the scent of the fresh apples, the cinnamon and allspice, the buttery dough, the smell of the pies frying in a cast-iron skillet, and it took him back to his childhood. He was probably 14, so Stefan would have been seven or thereabouts.

 _ **October, 1853**_

 _Tempy, the Salvatores' head cook, was working in the big kitchen. The weather had cooled, so she was in the main kitchen, rather than in the summer kitchen under the shade trees. She rolled out the crust for the fried pies, cut out the rounds and filled them, and then fried them to a turn in the pan. She heard a rustling behind her. "Mistah Damon, stay out of dem fried pies, or there won't be any for suppah." She turned to see Damon, all of 14, a shock of dark hair, curly and untamed hiding his beautiful blue eyes. He sure was a pretty child._

" _Oh, Tempy. It's just one. And besides, I'm dividing it with Stefan. We're mighty hungry, and Father and Mother are in Richmond all week. He won't know!" Giuseppe did not approve of sweets, but Damon loved them._

" _I'm hungry, too!" piped Stefan's childish voice, and he slipped into the kitchen._

" _Here. Take half," Damon said, breaking the pie in two and giving the other part to his little brother, who stuffed it in his mouth._

 _Tempy had to laugh. She shook her head. Those boys. Damon was fiercely protective of his little brother. She remembered well when Stefan was playing in the creek, slipped and turned his ankle. Damon found him and carried him all of the mile back to the house._

 _The woman went to Damon and hugged him, ruffling his hair, and drew Stefan into her embrace, too. She couldn't get upset with those two. They were about the sweetest boys she'd ever known. "Mistah Damon, you'd best let Uncle Isum trim that briar patch on top of yo' head ifn' you don't want trouble with Marse. I know Miss Lily done tol' you to get yo' hair cut while they's gone."_

" _She did," Damon sighed. "I'll go in the morning."_

" _You do 'dat." She peered at Stefan. "You can wait a week or two," she said. He nodded solemnly. "Now you two imps git out of mah kitchen. I gots work to do."_

Damon came back to himself when he heard Lindsey humming. He thought about Tempy, about Uncle Isum, about all the slaves at Veritas. After Lily died, they were his only consolation. He missed Lily's funeral because he found a jar of homebrew and drank himself insensible. That night, after Gisuseppe had whipped him with his belt, Damon crept downstairs to the kitchen, hoping to find something for his crashing headache. Tempy was there, and dosed him with tincture of willow bark - the original form of aspirin - and insisted he eat a little broth from the chicken and dumplings. Then, he'd started to cry, and she held him most of the night, him sitting in her lap, although his long legs stuck out. Tempy was the only person who saw Damon weep for his mother. When the house burned, it was Damon who made sure every slave was safe, with all their belongings. They were the ones who cared for him.

Apparently, he'd nodded off again with these thoughts, when he felt a soft hand on his forehead, his cheek. His eyes fluttered open and Lindsey's face came into focus. She looked a little concerned. "You all right, sugar?" she asked.

"Yeah. Old memories creep up on me sometimes," he answered.

"Supper's ready." Her smile was gentle, as was the hand on his face. Even without the bond, she always knew when he was troubled. He stood and folded her into his arms, savoring her nearness. Lindsey relaxed into his embrace for a minute, but then pulled away. "Come on." He knew she wouldn't ask what was bothering him, but he also knew if he chose to tell her, she'd listen.

* * *

Lindsey said a brief prayer of thanks that Interstate 59 from Birmingham wasn't too crowded. Vampire or not, she hated heavy traffic. She didn't have Damon's devil-may-care streak, and so, drove more carefully. She never forgot the accident that took her life and led to her turning.

As she drove, she saw a car up ahead brake, and followed suit - to find she had no brakes. The pedal went to the floor and the red brake light on the dash came on. Instantly, she hit the emergency flashers and steered to the shoulder, hoping to coast to a stop. Vampire reflexes were good for something, that was for sure. And vampire strength was good for steering with one hand and steadily applying the parking brake with the other, allowing the engine to slow, and thus, slow the car. Finally, the car slowed enough for the parking brake to take hold fully and Lindsey eased the car to a stop. She put it in park and sat, sweating, heart pounding. It was an old myth that vampires didn't sweat, or that their hearts didn't beat. In moments of high fear or anxiety, their bodies reacted like an unaltered human's.

Lindsey put a hand to her mouth, to find her fangs had dropped, unnoticed. She probably needed some blood. She unzipped the soft sided pack resting in the front seat and grabbed a bag, popped the seal and was drinking when she saw blue lights in her mirror. Oh, wonderful. She hurried through the rest of the bag, stowed it in the pack and fumbled for a tissue to wipe her mouth. A quick glance in the mirror showed she looked reasonably normal. Thank God for sunglasses to hide any stray veins.

The State Trooper approached and motioned for her to lower her window. She did so.

"You all right?" he asked.

Lindsey nodded. "I am, officer. Had some trouble with my brakes, I think. Lost pressure. I'm not sure what happened, exactly." And she wasn't.

The trooper's eyebrows went up. "That's some driving, to be able to get off the road without losing control."

"Took a defensive driving class about 10 years ago. I guess the training just kicked in," Lindsey answered.

"Apparently. Can I see your license and proof of insurance, ma'am?"

"Of course." Lindsey handed him the requested items.

He peered at the license for a moment, then walked back to his car. He returned a couple of minutes later and returned the documents to her. "Do you have a cell or do I need to call a wrecker for you?"

"I have a phone, thank you, Officer. I'll call my husband and a wrecker. It's not that far to Oneonta. He can be here fairly soon." Especially since "he" was going to drive like the proverbial bat out of hell, she knew. Damon could drive 15 miles in no time flat.

"All right, Ma'am. Don't you drive that vehicle until you get the brakes checked out."

"I won't, believe me," she answered.

The trooper left and Lindsey called Damon. "Hey honey, something happened on 59. I'm about four miles from the 231 exit. I need you to come pick me up."

"What happened? Are you OK?" came his worried voice.

"I'm fine. The brakes went out. I wonder if there's a leak in the master cylinder or something. Anyway, I got off the road and I'm fine. I'll call Earl Tidwell and have him come get the car." This was more of an inconvenience than anything.

"All right. You sure you're not hurt?" Damon realized how idiotic that sounded, but he couldn't keep from asking.

Lindsey smiled. "I'm fine. Just need a lift."

"I'll be there as soon as I can get there."

"I know."

Lindsey wasn't in the least surprised when 15 minutes had hardly gone when she saw the Camaro flash by on the other side of the highway. She knew her rakehell husband wouldn't waste time getting there. He hit the next exit, turned around and was pulling up behind her almost before she could register him passing in the other lane. He was out of the Camaro and ran to Lindsey, who got out of her car. He swept her into his arms and she laughed. "Damon, sturdy vampire here, remember? Not apt to get hurt by much."

"I know. I just don't like the idea of you being in another wreck."

Lindsey pulled back and smiled at him. "Me either! I'm just glad I was able to get off the road without hurting anyone else. Here's Earl with the tow truck. Let's go home."

Lindsey was at the garage and peered under the hood with Earl, their mechanic. "Ms. Lindsey, your brake line wasn't cut outright, but it sure does look like something chewed on it."

"Squirrel maybe? Or a rat?"

"That's what I thought until I got to checking. Now, I don't want to upset you, but I think somebody messed with your car."

Lindsey stared at the man. "Seriously? What else did you find?"

"Well, one of the supports on your gas tank looks like it's been about hacked through. Somebody wanted your car to wreck and catch fire. I'd call the police if I were you."

She was glad Damon wasn't there to hear this. He would have been hard pressed to keep his cool. "I will, Earl. Take pictures for me, if you will, and write it all up so I'll have a record of it."

"I will Ms. Lindsey. Sure am glad you're OK. I thought an awful lot of your Mama and Daddy. You all are good folks."

"Thank you Earl. And thank you for being so thorough and for catching this. I appreciate it. I'll get the folks at Buckner's to put an alarm on this thing that'll go off if a gnat sneezes on it!"

"Yes ma'am, you do that. Get one for Damon's Camaro, too. Reckon this was some of those people in Birmingham who didn't like something you wrote in the paper?"

Lindsey didn't think that was likely, but she was pretty sure she knew who _was_ behind this. But she said, "Could be, Earl. I'll sure talk to the cops about it. And thanks again."

As she pulled the old Camaro out of Earl's lot, Lindsey mused that an alarm on that car would be a good idea, too. This was Clinton Foley's work, she'd bet every dime in their bank account. She dreaded telling Damon. She knew he was going to go into orbit.

"WHAT? How could someone get to your car in broad daylight? Foley. I know that's who it was. I hope he's got a will because his life expectancy just decreased - a lot." Damon was snarling.

Lindsey put her hands on Damon's face. "No. We're not handling it that way. We're getting alarms for the cars and I have Earl taking pictures and notes on everything."

"I'll call Stefan. They can all come down here for Thanksgiving next week. I won't have you in Virginia in the same state as that bastard."

Lindsey shook her head. "They found me here. Or someone did. No, I won't let him dictate how I live my life. I'll get Melanie's nephew to house-sit for us. She said he was looking for something to do. He's 21 and old enough to be here and we can compel him to refrain from having wild parties. Remember, honey, I'm a lot harder to get rid of than I used to be." She was much more upset about the thought that Foley's idiocy might have cost innocent people their lives if she had lost control of the car on the freeway.

Damon looked like a thundercloud, but he could tell he wasn't going to get anywhere with this argument, short of locking Lindsey in the basement, and she would never forgive him for doing that. Not for several decades, anyway. "I can't relax if you're not safe," he said.

She smiled at him and stroked his cheek. "I'm safe, babe. We're going to live our lives like we always have. That psycho isn't going to interfere with that, O.K.?"

He nodded, albeit reluctantly. "O.K."

* * *

"Have I ever mentioned how disgustingly normal you are, and how normal Damon starts acting around you? Well, it's abnormal for him, but normal for a regular human." Bonnie's tone was wry as she watched Lindsey finish cleaning up from their Thanksgiving dinner.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Lindsey chuckled.

"You should. It's meant as one. You're the only vampire I've ever met who's never made me nervous. Even Caroline has freaked me out a few times. But you? Never."

"And that's definitely a compliment coming from a witch, I know. Seen Elena lately?"

"Once in awhile," Bonnie answered. When she comes back here for something, we'll have coffee or whatever. She and Elijah have been seeing a good bit of each other when he's here and not in New Orleans."

"I'm glad. You know, Bonnie, I have no ill will toward Elena. When we were in Atlanta, I thought how much it had to sting her to see the two men she's loved, both with other women. That cannot have been an easy moment."

Bonnie shook her head slowly. "And that's what sets you apart, Lindsey. You didn't lose your empathy when you turned. You've made an effort to keep it. One of the many reasons you're the best thing that ever happened to Damon Salvatore."

"Well, we're in total agreement on that, Witchiepoo," came Damon's silky voice from behind them. He leaned against the sink and watched his wife wash dishes - until she handed him a drying towel.

"Thanks for helping," she said, and Damon dried the plates without comment, causing Bonnie to grin broadly.

"So where did you come up with 'Witchiepoo,' Damon? It used to be just 'Witchy' or "Judgy' or 'Sabrina.' What's with 'Witchiepoo'?" she asked him.

He snickered and nodded toward Lindsey. "Blame her. She was watching some stupid kids' TV show from the early 70s called 'H.R. Pufinstuf.' There was a character on that show called 'Witchiepoo,' and I just liked the sound of it."

Bonnie laughed. "O.K. I was just wondering. Was she a good witch?"

It was Lindsey's turn to laugh. "No way. She was the villain of the piece, along with her two henchmen, Orson and Seymour. It was a Sid and Marty Krofft show. Way, way before your time. I barely remember it, although I did watch their later Saturday morning shows. We had good stuff on then. None of that stupid crap you all had in the early 2000s." She shuddered.

"Hey! I liked the Backyardigans!" Bonnie protested.

"Couldn't hold a candle to 'Shazam!' and 'Isis'" Lindsey replied.

"Yeah - 'Isis.' I remember that show. I remember that actress. She was seriously hot," Damon said. "JoAnna. Legs that went on forever…" his voice trailed off when he saw the expressions on Lindsey's and Bonnie's faces. "Hey, you were like, seven? C'mon."

Lindsey shook her head. "I know, and when we got married, I knew you had - a past." She smiled sweetly at him.

"For better or worse, right, babe?" His grin was the one that showed his dimples.

"You're a stinker and you need to hush before you get yourself into serious trouble." Lindsey resumed washing the casserole dish.

"O.K.," Damon answered mildly and Bonnie was hard put not to roll with laughter. She'd always found the best way to deal with Damon was on his level - with insults and witty comebacks. Elena used sex and flirting to keep him in line. But Lindsey just treated Damon like an adult. Of course, being a vampire herself now, she didn't allow his vampire state to faze her. But according to Damon, she never had, not really. Even though Bonnie was 99.99 percent sure Damon wouldn't hurt her, there was always that nagging fear in the very back of her mind that he could be pushed too far. She'd seen it. She and Elena and Caroline had all cowered in fear in front of Damon at one time or another. Lindsey? She just wailed on him with a cast iron skillet.

Lindsey would have told Bonnie she was plenty frightened of Damon during those first few days in Nashville, but figured quickly that the worst parts of him fed on that fear, so she refused to give in to it. Suddenly, she felt like someone had dropped a warm blanket on her shoulders and enveloped in love. She looked over at Damon, whose eyes were twinkling. "You're getting better at that," she said.

"I've been practicing," was his reply. Bonnie surmised they were talking about their blood bond. She would love to hear a lot more about how it worked, but it was such a personal thing, and she didn't want to be a creeper by asking.

Lindsey finished the dishes and she and Bonnie went outside. Lindsey looked up at the late afternoon sky. "Colder here than it is at home. Do those clouds look snowy to you?"

"It could happen," Bonnie answered. "Wouldn't be the first time it snowed right after Thanksgiving."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to be stuck here with a foot of snow on the ground. I need to make sure and watch the local news to see what the weather's gonna do."

"Comes on at six," Bonnie answered.

"O.K."

"You really think that Foley guy had someone mess with your car?" Bonnie asked.

Lindsey shrugged. "Only person I can think of. The last several years I worked for the local paper, I covered features - you know, quilt shows and garden parties. Nothing controversial. I have to believe it's connected with the whole Whitmore thing."

Bonnie nodded. "It's been big news up here. Mostly, the media's focused on the financial irregularities. Not much about the women being abducted."

"Doesn't surprise me. Wait until the criminal charges are filed, though. That's when it'll all come out and get really nasty," Lindsey answered. "I just wonder how the media will handle the supernatural issue. It's going to take some hot tap dancing to mention it without sounding like one of those late-night talk radio hosts. I don't envy them."

"Me either. So if you were covering it, how would _you_ handle the whole vampire thing?" Bonnie was interested. "As a human reporter, I mean."

Lindsey thought about it. "Well, sidestepping tends you get you into trouble. Calls your credibility into question. I think I'd just be really straightforward about it, and say, 'This is what was said, and these are the charges.' I'd definitely put an editor's note on the story saying it was merely a statement of what happened during the court proceedings, and was in no way some kind of statement of belief in anything that was said. After all, the 'why' really is a secondary issue. It doesn't matter _why_ it happened - only that these women were abducted and held prisoner. And that's primarily what the court will be concerned with. The judge and jury may really want to know why, but they'll be judging based on the facts: were the women kidnapped? Were they held against their will? Were they subjected to medical experiments without their consent? Prove that they were, and the question is then what the sentence will be. The judge really won't give a tinker's damn about why anymore, even if he or she is curious. Why is no longer relevant."

"Wow. I'd love to be able to just step outside an issue like that and look at it from a distance."

"You can. It just takes practice. Being able to be objective doesn't mean I don't have opinions or feelings about an issue; it just means I'm able to walk around it and see it from more than one side. And things tend to change when you turn them over and look at them from the opposite direction," Lindsey answered with a smile. "After all, you don't feel about vampires like you used to," she said.

"True," Bonnie agreed. "I wish Grams could meet you. She'd have liked you."

"And I know I'd have liked her. How old was she when she died?"

"Um, 72, I think. Didn't look it. Witches rarely do. And that's young for a witch with her power to die. I guess you know the story."

Lindsey nodded silently. She knew the spell to open the tomb lo, those many years ago had taxed Sheila Bennett's body into giving out, and she died that night. She slipped an arm around Bonnie's shoulders. The young witch didn't flinch. Because Lindsey had never taken a life, darkness didn't surround her. She didn't smell or feel like death. And if Bonnie were honest with herself, she would say it was a comfort to have an older woman in her life, regardless of the unusual circumstances. Lindsey mothered her and Caroline - and Stefan - and showed nothing but kindness to Elena.

"How in the world do you get Damon to celebrate holidays with you? He used to hate it," Bonnie said.

"Well, you know what it's like when you have bad associations with things because of the past. That was Damon. Christmas reminded him of his mother and there's just so much stuff with her, and with the way Giuseppe treated those boys… I remind him that rituals keep us human. He's not celebrating for his family. He's helping me honor mine. He can live with that idea."

"That's one way of dealing with it. Sometimes I just don't know how you cope with him all day, every day, though."

Lindsey grinned. "He's not like this all the time. When it's just us, he settles. I mean, he's always Damon, but with no audience, he tones it down. He just takes such pleasure in getting under your skin. And his day has been made if he convinces Caroline to threaten murder. He knows if he tries that crap with me, I'll snap his neck to shut him up for a while."

Bonnie nearly doubled over with laughter. "You're so funny. So how did the big class reunion go? I heard Damon mentioning it to Stefan."

"Very well. Laid some ghosts to rest, settled a couple of scores. It was good. You remember Jakob? He came and was my friend's date. They really hit it off. She's still a regular human, but they really connected. Not sure where that will go, but it was good."

"That's cool. Speaking of cool, it's getting colder. You may be right about that snow." Bonnie shivered and they went inside the Boarding House and thawed out in front of the fire.

* * *

Snow was starting to fall when Lindsey and Damon left Virginia on Saturday, and they were in and out of wintry weather for a good while. But as she figured, by the time they were out of Tennessee, the snow had turned to sleet, and by the time they got home, it was all rain - pouring rain. Melanie's nephew had turned up the heat so it would be warm inside the house, and the first thing she did was start some coffee.

Damon shrugged out of his leather jacket and shook his head like a dog. He did hate to be wet from the rain. Lindsey tossed him a towel from the laundry room and he rubbed his hair dry. "Thanks," he muttered, and then ran a cup of coffee. "That Keurig is the best home invention in a hundred years," he said as he gratefully drank the hot liquid.

Lindsey brewed her own cup. "I have to agree with you."

Damon sat at the table. "I think the whole holiday thing with the family and friends went pretty well."

"I think it did. I'm looking forward to having them down here for Christmas." Lindsey sat down too, and took Damon's hand. "I'm so thankful you and Stefan have mended fences and you're friends, now. It's such a joy to see you two happy in each other's company."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, Saint Stefan's not as broody as he used to be, so he's easier to take."

"Well, it's possible you're a little easier to deal with these days, too. Maybe you're easier to take." She grinned at him.

Damon rolled his eyes and huffed. "Smarty. You should be over the moon. The Augustines are toast, Stefan and I are getting along, Caroline's taking good care of him, Bonnie's doing well and Elena's pretty much out of the picture. You've fixed just about everything that can be fixed, people-wise. What's left?"

"I didn't fix most of that. I think you all just finally got a clue and grew up," Lindsey answered.

"Says you. I know better," Damon said with a decided nod.

* * *

"What do you mean, she survived the wreck?"

"Sorry, boss. Look. Those brakes were completely gone, and the gas tank was dragging the ground. She never should have been able to drive out of that."

"Damn. Now what? She's not stupid; she'll be on her guard, now."

"That's your call, boss, not mine."

The call ended, and the man turned to his computer and opened an email. It was a link to something called "The U.S. Supernatural Index." The link took him directly to a page where he saw Damon Salvatore's photo - and Lindsey Hargrove's. His eyes widened. She was a _vampire_? And married to _Damon Salvatore_? The pieces started to fall into place, and he understood how she didn't wreck her car. He picked up his phone. "I need a favor. A big one."

* * *

 **Da-da-da-Dum! Now what? Reviews feed the muse! Lots of exciting stuff in store, and more with Damon as a foster dad. Review, please, and see you next time!**


	9. Chapter 9: Christmas Required

**A/N: Yes, a new chapter! I hope you all enjoy it. We get some Damon as foster dad, so some warm fuzzies there! If you're liking what you're reading, please let me know by leaving a review. It doesn't have to be a full critical analysis - just a few words will be great. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Christmas Required**

 **December 2016**

Lindsey's phone rang and she went to the kitchen counter to grab it.

"Lindsey? It's Dana. We have a problem. A big one."

Uh-oh, this couldn't be good. "What's going on?"

"We have two kids, just removed from their home. I know you don't usually take kids this old, but they're five and six, and we don't have anywhere else for them. Can you and Damon take them? It's two girls. They're sweet kids, but there's just no one else who can take them."

Lindsey sighed. Older children were more apt to notice odd things going on, but this was clearly a crisis situation. "Can you bring them tomorrow, Dana? I only have the one bed and a crib in the kids' room. We'll need to get another bed. Also, how long are you planning on them staying with us?"

"That's the other thing. As close to Christmas as it is, can you keep them through then? I'll give you some cash for a couple of gifts. They were in the system, so I already had a wish list for them. We'll have a more permanent situation opening up by the first of the year, but we had to get these girls out. It's about as awful a situation as you can imagine. They have no one capable of caring for them. We can put them in the emergency shelter tonight. Can you help?" Dana sounded desperate.

Damon was outside, working in his shop, but Lindsey knew she would never forgive herself if she didn't help these little girls. They had until tomorrow to get all the blood out of the house, and into the basement fridge. And she'd have to call the Mystic Falls crowd. Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie were all coming for Christmas. Well, they had the room, at least. Bonnie loved the attic room Lindsey used for her office. It was private and she could meditate or do whatever up there without disturbing anyone. "Sure. We'll be glad to put them up. Give me their sizes, too, and we'll get them a few things when we go get the bed."

Dana sighed in relief. "You guys are the best. Thank you so much! I'll email you their sizes and I'll send you a text before we bring them over tomorrow."

"That'll work," Lindsey replied. "And you're welcome." When she got off the phone, she went to the shop. "Hey babe," she said. "Dana just called."

Damon was hand-sanding a table. He believed in doing a lot of his projects the old-fashioned way. He looked up at Lindsey and took off the goggles he wore to keep the dust out of his eyes. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "What's up?"

"Two slightly older girls, five and six. It was an emergency removal. Dana said it was a terrible situation. We'll need to keep them through Christmas, but…" she held up a hand as he started to interrupt, "they won't be here until tomorrow, so we can get all the blood into the basement, and we'll also need to go get some clothes for them and another twin bed. We can make do with a frame and a mattress."

Damon leaned against the workbench. "We're having people in for Christmas, remember?"

"I know. But we have the room. Damon, we can't not take these girls. We're their final option before going to a state facility. They deserve to spend Christmas with a loving family."

Ouch. She knew where to get him, every time. Damon eyed his wife. Her expression was the mulish one that meant she was willing to fight him, and he knew how often he won those arguments: rarely. He sighed. "O.K. I can tell you're not gonna budge on this one, and I really don't want to spend the afternoon arguing with you."

Lindsey smiled at him and kissed him. "Thank you, sweetheart. Get to a good stopping point. We've got some things to buy."

Damon cleaned up the shop and thought about the situation. Had he descended to the realm of henpecked husband? No, he thought. He was just married to a woman who was a) as smart as he was, and b) picked her battles. Lindsey would argue with heat and passion for something she believed in, and when she got her teeth in something, she was a bulldog. Didn't matter if it was for a story, or fighting for their foster children. She was that way as a human, and nothing changed when she turned. She was as tenacious as a snapping turtle, and he loved that about her. Otherwise, she'd have given up on his sorry ass a long time ago.

Four hours later, they were back home, and he was helping Lindsey set up a bed frame in the kids' room. He took down the crib and stored it in the attic. Lindsey made up the beds with matching pink comforter sets. A new, cuddly teddy bear waited on each bed, and the closet held clothes for each child. Dana had emailed their pictures to her, and Lindsey chose outfits she thought they would like. She could tell Damon was enjoying himself, even though he griped about the work. She could feel it in the bond that he was really getting a kick out of this. But she knew he would. Damon had a soft spot for young children. He detested teens, but loved little kids.

When he came down from the attic, he surveyed the room. "Looks like a little girl's paradise," he said. "Good thing you never had kids. If you'd had a boy, you wouldn't have had a clue what to do with him."

"I know," she admitted. "I have no gifts when it comes to dealing with boys. I don't understand them. Little girls, I understand."

Damon put his arms around her. "You deal with men pretty well."

She chuckled. "With one man."

"I don't know about that. Stefan adores you, that antique Elijah loves you and even Klaus thinks you're all right. That has to count for something."

"Maybe," Lindsey said. "I don't know for what. Well, with all the blood locked up in the cellar and in our room, I guess we're ready whenever Dana brings the girls over. You can put the swing set up in the morning."

"I can't believe you flim-flammed me into agreeing to put up a swing set. It's December!" Damon groused.

"Well, we're not in Minnesota. Even if it's chilly, they're going to want to go outside. They'll get too restless if they're cooped up in the house all the time. And remember, with kids that age, you have to keep a shirt on all the time. And britches of some kind."

"I know," he said irritably. At least he could walk around naked in their bedroom, if he wanted to.

"You can't be a hedonist all the time," Lindsey said, teasing him.

"Yeah, yeah," he answered.

* * *

Damon and Lindsey walked out on to the front porch to meet Dana and their new foster children. They saw Dana open the back door of the car and two tiny figures appeared. She took their hands and led them to the steps. Lindsey opened the screen door. "Hi Dana. Come in, please. How are you girls doing?" They didn't answer - just looked at her and Damon with wide eyes. "Come into the front room and sit down. Now, can you tell me your names?"

The older girl looked doubtfully at Lindsey, but said very softly, "I'm Braelynn, and this is my sister. Her name's Shantisa, but we call her Shani."

"All right. I'm Lindsey, and this is my husband, Damon. We're very glad to have you here with us. Are those your suitcases?" She gestured to the miniscule cases they carried. They were maybe big enough for a single change of clothes.

Shani nodded. "We gots some clothes - and," she paused. "my blankie's in here."

"Very important," Lindsey said. "I think you'll like it here. You can help us decorate for Christmas. Would you like that?" They nodded. "All right. Let's go upstairs to your room while Damon talks to Miss Dana for a minute."

"Bye, Miss Dana," Braelynn said.

"Good-bye, girls. I know you'll be happy here," she said and turned to Damon with a folder full of paperwork for him to sign.

Lindsey showed the girls to their room. "Here it is," she said.

They looked at the beds, the comforters, the teddy bears - in awe. "Is all this for us?" Braelynn whispered?

"Sure is. Just pick which bed you want," Lindsey answered. She felt like bawling, watching these little girls so overwhelmed by a couple of teddy bears and a decent place to sleep.

The children walked around the room, and then looked out the window that overlooked the backyard and saw the swingset. "Ms. Lindsey," Braelynn asked. "Can we go outside and swing?"

"Absolutely. But it's nearly lunchtime. Let's eat some lunch and then go out."

"What's for lunch?" That was Shani.

Lindsey grinned. "How about tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches?" The girls nodded eagerly and Lindsey led them downstairs and into the kitchen. She opened the can of soup and started heating it, then buttered bread and heated the skillet for the sandwiches.

Damon leaned against the kitchen doorway and watched as Lindsey cooked, allowing the girls to do simple tasks like put the cheese on the bread. Shani noticed him standing there and said, "Mr. Damon, how old are you?"

"Old," he said. "Really old." He could see his wife's shoulders shake with laughter as she hid her face by looking in the fridge.

"What about you, Ms. Lindsey? Are you really old, too?"

"Kind of," she answered.

"Older than Mr. Damon?"

"Wellll, depends on your point of view," Lindsey answered, her voice full of suppressed laughter.

"Shani! Why you always asking folks how old they are?" Clearly, Braelynn had decided her sister was being rude.

"Shut up, Brae!"

" _You_ shut up!"

Lindsey turned to the girls, her expression serious. "Now ladies," she said, "I don't want to hear that fussing back and forth, all right? And we don't tell people to shut up in my house." Now it was Damon's turn to hide his face. Lindsey told _him_ to shut up at least 50 times a day.

"Yes Ma'am," Shani said, with a scowl at her sister.

Lindsey turned to her smirking husband. "And _you_ can set the table!" she said, fixing him with a steady glare.

"Yes Ma'am!" he echoed Shani, who giggled.

* * *

After they ate, Lindsey helped the girls put on their jackets and took them outside to the swingset. Even Damon slipped his coat on and went outside to watch the proceedings. The girls ran to the swings and started swinging as high as they could. They were having a grand time, when Brae decided she wanted to jump out of the swing. Lindsey started to run to her, when Damon flashed in front of the swing and caught the child in his arms as she jumped.

"What on earth did you think you were doing, young lady?" he said sternly. "You could have really hurt yourself!"

"I just wanted to jump out of the swing like the big kids do on the playground at school," she said, her lower lip trembling.

"It's dangerous," he said, the thought beginning to occur to him that his calling in life was to protect impulsive females from putting their lives in danger. He looked into her eyes. Not much force was necessary to compel her. "No more jumping out of the swings, or from any part of the swingset, all right?"

"O.K.," she answered.

Lindsey had stopped Shani's swing and she got the girls and led them to the edge of the yard, where her dogwood trees were. "This is where the backyard ends," she said. "You don't go past these trees unless I'm with you or Damon is, all right?" She looked into their eyes. Compelling children was distasteful, but this was strictly for their safety. They nodded. "All right. And in the front yard, you can stay on the grass, and you can walk on the circle part of the gravel drive, but no farther. And you always tell me or Damon when you leave the house if we're not with you. If someone comes into the driveway, you immediately come back inside the house and tell one of us that someone's here, O.K.?" As isolated as they were, and with the magical wards Bonnie had in place around the house, the girls could have a small measure of freedom without feeling Lindsey was hovering over them. If either one of them got into anything, she would hear them immediately.

"Ms. Lindsey?" Brae asked.

"Yes, sweetie."

"How did Mr. Damon catch me so fast? I didn't even see him move!"

"Well, he can run really fast, but your eyes were closed. Of course you didn't see him!" Lindsey said, hoping this was another memory she didn't have to compel away. Damon rolled his eyes. They were going to have to be careful. "How would you girls like to take a walk in the woods with us?" They nodded eagerly. "O.K. Brae, you take my hand, and Shani, hold on to Damon, and we'll walk to the creek and back."

"Will we see any animals?" Brae asked.

"Probably not. It's winter time, so all the animals are asleep in their dens," Lindsey said.

The children, having been raised in housing projects and trailers, had never been in the woods before. They were enthralled. Damon, who was really more at home there than he was anywhere else, pitied their limited existence. So, they sat on the ground and he collected small sticks and showed them how to build a little house, just as he taught Stefan over 150 years ago. They giggled as they got their hands muddy, daubing mud in between the sticks to make the walls stand up. Lindsey just sat close by and watched. At times like these, she saw him as he was before he was turned: patient, sweet, gentle. He would probably have been an excellent teacher, or even a college professor. The slightly hard edge left his face, as it did when he slept, and she could see the boyish glint in his eyes.

Damon glanced up at his wife, who was grinning. But she wasn't laughing at him. She was pleased. He could feel her approval and happiness.

When the girls complained about being cold, they walked back to the house, where Lindsey washed their hands and faces and promised if they rested in their room for just 30 minutes, they could get up again. When she checked on them, both girls were zonked out, teddy bears held close. Damon and Lindsey both fed, then curled up together on the old sofa and dozed, themselves.

A low cry woke Lindsey. She listened and heard it again. She flashed up the stairs and to the girls' room. She saw Brae trying to wake Shani, without success. Lindsey went to the bed and shook Shani gently. Finally, she woke and after a moment, started to cry. Lindsey immediately sat on the bed and took the child into her lap, and hugged Brae with one arm. Shani cried into Lindsey's shoulder and Brae huddled close to her. She looked to see Damon in the doorway and nodded at him. He scooped Brae into his arms and sat on her bed, holding her close.

After a few minutes, Shani stopped crying and Lindsey looked at her. "Better now?" The child nodded and Lindsey smiled gently. "Good. I want you to remember something, Shani. You and Brae are absolutely safe here. No one can hurt you, all right? Damon and I will keep you safe." At least that was one promise they could keep.

"That's right," Damon agreed. He looked over at Lindsey and shook his head. She sighed. If she lived to be as old as Damon, she would never understand why some people decided they didn't have to take care of their babies. She couldn't understand that mindset.

Lindsey looked down at Shani. "Would you like some hot chocolate?" The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "O.K. Let's go downstairs and I'll make some." She stood, still holding Shani, who was clinging to her like a leech.

As she measured cocoa and milk into the pan and whisked it all together, she kept one eye on the girls sitting at the kitchen table. Somehow, Damon had them both balanced in his lap, arms around them, cuddling them to his chest. She smiled at the sight. She went to the cabinet where the coffee cups were and located a couple of pretty little flowered china cups she picked up at an estate sale. They didn't match, but they were dainty and had matching saucers. Lindsey doubted the girls had ever seen a matching cup and saucer, from what Dana told her about their background.

Lindsey poured the cocoa into the cups and turned to the girls. "If you ladies will sit at the table, you can have your hot chocolate in the fancy cups!"

Damon grinned as the girls quickly seated themselves. There was no doubt Lindsey knew how to deal with little girls. She seemed to have a knack for knowing exactly what they would like. They squealed in delight when she set the pink flowered cups in front of them.

Shani looked at Lindsey when she finished her hot chocolate. "When we gonna do the Christmas tree?" she asked.

"I was thinking after supper. We'll have to get it out of the attic and put it up, and I'll need to get the decorations out, but we should have it ready to go after supper. Is that soon enough?"

Shani nodded, then her face turned serious. "Ms. Lindsey?"

"Yes, sweetie."

"Why you and Mr. Damon so nice to us?"

Lindsey could almost feel her heart shattering. She looked at Damon and could see the pain in his eyes. She poured herself a cup of cocoa and sat next to Shani. "We're supposed to be nice to everybody," she said. "I don't know why some people aren't nice to other people. That's not the right way to act."

Braelynn wrinkled her brow. "Maw-Maw said some people just got the devil in them."

Lindsey nodded. "Your Maw-Maw was a wise woman. She's absolutely right. Some people do have the devil in them, no question."

The girls digested this for a minute, then Braelynn piped up again. "Maw-Maw said we supposed to be like Jesus and love everybody."

"Yep, that's right," Lindsey answered. "Where's your Maw-Maw?"

"She in Heaven," Shani said. "She died last year. You gots a Maw-Maw, Ms. Lindsey?"

Lindsey hugged Shani close. "My Maw-Maw is in Heaven, too. Maybe she's friends with your Maw-Maw. You think so?"

Shani grinned and nodded. Damon sat, chin on his hand, watching the exchange. His wife had a way with children. Shani fixed him with a gimlet eye. " _You_ gots a Maw-Maw, Mr. Damon?"

Damon looked a little shocked. He honestly hadn't thought of his grandparents in decades.

Lindsey leaned over in conspiratorial fashion. "He hatched. Or they found him under a cabbage leaf. I'm not sure which one. He won't tell me," she said to the little girl. Both girls erupted in laughter.

"Mr. Damon hatched like a chicken!" Shani exclaimed, overcome with giggles.

Damon looked outraged for a second, then looked at Lindsey, whose brown eyes were fairly twinkling with mischief. He chuckled ruefully. "Well, I didn't _hatch_ ," he said. "Or get found under a cabbage leaf. You girls are just being silly, is all."

"We're entitled," Lindsey said, laughter still in her voice. Her phone rang. "That's Caroline. I need to tell her about Christmas," she said. "If you'll excuse me." She picked up her phone. "Hey, Caroline. Yeah, we're good. Listen, need to give you a Christmas update." Lindsey walked upstairs to her bedroom.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked.

"We're going to have a little more company than usual."

"Oh? Who?"

"Two emergency foster children. Sisters, ages five and six. That's quite a bit older than we usually take, but like I said, it was an emergency. They'll be here through the first of the year. They're the cutest things you ever saw, but I wanted to let you know."

"Wow! That's wild! So, how's Damon with them?" Caroline asked.

"Much better than you'd think. They're little girls, which already gives them an advantage. It took them about thirty seconds to have him wrapped around their little fingers. He's pretty much besotted. You'd never get him to admit it, of course, but he is."

Caroline laughed out loud. "I've got to see this. Damon getting along with little kids."

Lindsey laughed, too. "Between you and me? By the end of the week, they will have talked him into having tea parties with them."

Caroline nearly went into hysterics at the idea. "Oh, you've got to get that on video! I can't wait to get there. Stefan will have a field day with this."

"I know, but tell him to cool it. Ya'll can laugh privately up there. Don't do it too much down here. You know how he is."

"Yeah, I know. Too well."

"O.K. See you all in a few days. Be careful."

"We will, mom," Caroline said. But she appreciated Lindsey's slightly maternal attitude. It was nice to know someone cared.

* * *

Putting up the Christmas tree was the most fun Lindsey'd had in years. She and Damon got it in the stand, mostly without help, but decorating was hilarious. The girls squabbled over who got to hang which ornament, but Lindsey refereed with the patience of Job. Damon stood on the ladder, getting the lights fixed, and watching in amusement. He always figured, with the less-than-sterling example of fatherhood he grew up with, that he would be a terrible parent. However, when they had foster kids in the house, he found himself wondering what it might have been like to have children. With Lindsey as their mom, he thought he might be able to be a halfway decent dad. He sighed, and immediately felt love wrapping around him. Lindsey always knew. Even before their bond was active, she always seemed to know what was going on inside his head.

With Christmas music on the stereo, and the girls making enough noise for twenty children, neither Lindsey nor Damon heard a car in the drive. They were both startled when someone knocked and then Brae sashayed to the door and opened it.

"Who are you?" she said.

"Why hello, love. I'm Klaus."

Damon looked sharply over to the door. "Klaus! What the he- heck are you doing here? Don't you have a house to haunt in New Orleans?"

The Original actually chuckled at this. "Probably. Who is this delightful young lady?"

Lindsey went to the door and put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Her name is Brae. She and her sister Shani are our guests for Christmas."

"I see." He looked at Lindsey, who was fairly vibrating with protective energy. She gave Klaus the impression of a mother bear hovering over her cubs. "Lindsey, you can relax. I have no designs on children. I truly pity anyone who attempts to harm any child in your care. Or Damon."

"Remember that," she sweetly replied. "Have a seat. I'll be back. Brae, let's get you and Shani and go in the kitchen. You can have some hot cider and cookies. We're all but finished decorating." She took the girls in the kitchen.

"Who's that man?" Shani asked.

"Friend of a friend," Lindsey answered.

Shani wrinkled her nose. "I don't like him."

 _Smart girl_ , Lindsey thought. "He's OK, I guess. But I need to talk to him, so can you and Brae promise me you'll stay in here? Please?"

Brae nodded. "We'll stay in here, Ms. Lindsey. We promise."

Lindsey smiled and kissed each child on the top of her head. "Thank you." She took mugs of cider into the front room and handed one to Damon, then to Klaus. "Have some cider," she said and seated herself. "So what prompted the long drive from New Orleans?"

"Right now, I'm more interested in your Christmas guests. Charming little girls. I assume this has something to do with being foster parents?" he answered.

"It does," she said. "Now you didn't drive six hours for the heck of it. What's up?"

Klaus' blue eyes twinkled as he sipped his cider. Although their relationship was mostly amicable, he knew Lindsey would probably always be suspicious of him. And rightly so. "Well, I was going to ask you if you'd like to spend Christmas at the Mikaelson estate in New Orleans, but that's a non-starter, since you have such delightful company for the holidays."

Lindsey rolled her eyes. Somehow, she got even more mileage out of it than Damon did. "You could have called or emailed for that. What's really going on?"

The Original shrugged. "I didn't feel email or the phone was secure enough. This needs to be said out of the reach of technology."

"Spit it out, Klaus," Damon snapped.

He held up a hand. "Apparently, Lindsey, your activities in Virginia have set the fox among the hens. Elijah's up there, keeping an eye on things, or he'd be here himself. We've heard rumblings. I know about your close call in the car last month. You need to be exceedingly careful."

"We've got full alarm systems on all the cars, and Bonnie's going to strengthen the wards around the house when she comes down with Stefan and Caroline," Lindsey answered.

"Excellent precautions."

Lindsey was going to skin Caroline alive for this. She knew the car incident went from Stefan, to Caroline, and then straight to Elijah and Klaus. "I thought so," she answered.

"So, have you heard anything about a possible court date for any of the Augustine issues?" Klaus asked.

"Elijah probably comes closer to knowing than I do. He's the man on the scene in Virginia. What has he heard?"

"Only that civil charges have been filed and the preliminary hearings are in a few months. I know you were particularly interested in Clinton Foley. Elijah's been looking down his back trail. Nasty piece of work, he is."

 _And that's the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard it_ , Lindsey thought. Damon must have caught it through the bond, because he twitched suspiciously, as if suppressing a chuckle.

"You'll need to meet with Finn, eventually. He's the other brother. He's a solicitor and a member of the - oh, what is it - Bar Association in Virginia? If this goes as we think it will, he could very well be helping prosecute the case," Klaus said.

"Hmmm. That would be a colossal conflict of interest, wouldn't it? I mean, with his brother having been captured by the Augustines, although he couldn't say anything about it. Interesting," Lindsey mused.

"Finn's all right. Damn near as broody as Stefan, but all right," Damon said. "Are he and Sage still playing cat and mouse after all these centuries?"

Klaus looked heavenward. "No, thank God. Finn decided to give the little tart her walking papers and he's a free agent these days. Know any nice lady vampires who might be interested in taking him on?"

"Not off the top of my head," Damon answered. "Unless Portia wants him."

"That one? Bad as Sage, and not nearly as attractive," the Original said with a growl.

"Portia… OH! I remember her! I swear, I think she has breast implants. Those aren't natural," Lindsey said decidedly, remembering the blowsy blonde vampire who hit on her husband.

"I believe you referred to them as 'udders,' love?" Klaus smirked at her.

"I did. I'm surprised she doesn't have to use a two-by-four and shoulder ropes to hold them up instead of a bra," was Lindsey's acidic reply. Damon burst out laughing.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Oooooohhh. Sharpened the tongue just for my visit, did you? Well, it looks like you two have things well in hand. Can't say I'm surprised, but I thought I'd come up here to check on you and make the offer for Christmas. Perhaps another time. How did you manage to end up with two little girls, anyway?"

"They were removed from their home. Very bad situation," Lindsey answered.

"I see. So you're going all out, huh? Very admirable." Something about the scene made him feel a little wistful, missing the way the Mikaelsons celebrated the holidays a thousand years before. He understood a little of Damon's change of spots. Being around Lindsey Salvatore made him want to be better than he was. Apparently, she just had that effect on people. Before the feeling could get hold of him, he stood. "Thank you for the cider. As always, dear Lindsey, your hospitality is peerless." He got a suspicious glare for his trouble, but he was actually sincere.

"You're welcome, Nicklaus. Take care and have a nice Christmas," she said.

"And a happy Christmas to you and yours, also," he answered.

Damon walked him to the door and Lindsey went back into the kitchen with the girls. She hoped that was the last they saw of Klaus for a while. A little went a very, very long way. She sat down with them. "All right ladies, we still haven't discussed what you all want for Christmas. Any ideas?

Brae's eyes were troubled. "Ms. Lindsey, we don't ask for much. We don't get it, and sometimes, we can't take it with us."

For the dozenth time that day, Lindsey felt her heart break for these girls, who were much more experienced in dealing with hard times than any children should be. She thought for a minute. "I can understand that. Tell you what. Even after you girls go to another family, we want you to come back and see us, and I promise you that whatever you can't take with you will be waiting on you here when you visit. How about that?"

"Really? You bein' straight with us, Ms. Lindsey?" Brae said, hope hardly daring to dawn in her eyes.

"I surely am. But we'll do our best to make sure you can take most of your things with you." _If I have to compel every social worker and foster parent in this county for the next 10 years_ , she thought. "So what would you like?"

"I want a pretty doll!" Shani piped up.

"O.K. Like a baby doll or a Barbie doll?"

"I dunno. Just a pretty doll. Can you find one?"

Lindsey smiled at the little girl. "I think I can work something out," she said. She had a thought about what to get for them, but with only a week until Christmas, she might have to make a trip out of town to get what she was looking for. She'd call the store tomorrow. She looked at the clock "Time for little girls to be in bed. You've had a busy day and I know you're tired. So let's get baths and get to bed."

There was some grumbling, but Lindsey herded the girls upstairs anyway, and after they were ready for bed, they begged her for a story. She willingly told "The Three Little Pigs" and as they got under the covers, Shani said, "You gonna say prayers with us? Like Maw-Maw used to?"

"Of course," Lindsey answered and she helped them say their prayers, for which thanks for her and Damon were rendered. She kissed them good-night, tucked them in, made sure the nightlight was on, their teddy bears were with them, turned the light out and quietly left the room.

* * *

Damon was already in their bedroom when Lindsey went in. "Got them all nestled and snug in their beds?" he asked.

"Yep. They're precious girls," she answered.

"They are cute. Shame about their family situation."

"I know. I gather their grandmother was the only stabilizing influence they had. Terrible. But maybe we can give them some good memories to take with them," Lindsey said, but her voice was wistful.

Damon looked at his wife. "You gave up a lot for me - including the chance to have kids."

"No regrets," she answered with a smile and went to shower.

Damon lay in bed, looking at the ceiling, thinking about what Lindsey willingly sacrificed to be with him, even before she was turned. She might not have regrets, but he could feel her wistfulness through the bond, and he wished there was some way she could have a child.

He watched silently as she came out of the shower and dried, then brushed her hair into a damp skein. She looked over at him. "What is it?" He just shook his head. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. She turned the lights out, came to bed and snuggled next to him in the darkness. "Now what is it? I know something's up."

Damon just gathered her into his arms, pulling her as close as he could, twining his legs with hers. "I'm sorry you had to give up so much for me," he murmured in her ear.

"I told you, I don't have any regrets," she answered.

"I know, and I believe you, but I still want you to know I don't take that lightly." His voice was low and sweet in her ear.

"I never thought you did."

Damon nuzzled in her neck, smelling the honey-sweet blood under her skin. It was more intoxicating than any perfume. She always smelled of cinnamon and vanilla and something else - uniquely herself - that fired his blood every time. He bit softly and followed it up with a lick and a gentle nip as his hands roamed her back, and he cupped her bottom, kneading it gently, and pulled her hips to his.

"Damon, we have to be careful," she said low. "The girls…"

"Mmmm. I know. I promise they won't hear a thing. They're asleep already. I can hear one of them snoring. And you want it, too. Can't fool me." And his clever fingers had her underwear pushed aside and he was inside her. "Told you," he growled into her ear, feeling her slick heat around him. He covered her mouth with his, giving her sensual, soft-tongued kisses that made her whimper. He moved, bringing her hips with his moves, until she collapsed in a silent climax and he followed it with a bite, which she returned.

"You're insatiable," she murmured.

"Just like you," was his reply.

Lindsey chuckled. "Tough not to be when you're the reward I get."

"So it's my fault?" But there was laughter in his voice.

"Oh definitely. From the first time you kissed me, which was also in the dark, under the covers." She kissed him gently, and he returned it with a tender tug on her lower lip. Words of love were whispered and Damon felt his mate tuck her cheek into his chest and she went to sleep.

* * *

 **So? More with Damon as a dad to come! Please review. Thank you!**


	10. Chapter 10: Christmas is for Children

**A/N: Yes, I know, it's been entirely too, too long between updates. I apologize. Had some family stuff going on that left me with no time to write. Enjoy the chapter! It's about to get dark. The next chapters will come pretty quickly; I've had them written for some time. Please forgive me for the delay, read and review! Thank you!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Christmas is for Children**

"Ms. Lindsey, who's comin' for Christmas?" Shani asked as she carefully placed raisins on the gingerbread men for eyes and buttons. They were starting their fourth day with the Salvatores.

"Damon's brother Stefan, his girlfriend Caroline, and their friend, Bonnie," Lindsey answered. She had the girls in the kitchen and they were making Christmas cookies.

"Where we gonna sleep?" Shani said.

"In your room, where you've been sleeping. Why?" Lindsey dried her hands and went to sit at the table with the little girls.

"We gonna be all right in there?" Brae asked.

"Absolutely. That's your room for as long as you're here. And any time you come back. That's your room," Lindsey assured the girls. "Stefan and Caroline will be in the other room upstairs, and Bonnie likes to stay in my room in the attic when she comes to visit."

The girls looked at each other, and Lindsey could swear they were talking. Something about those little ones…

"That ain't what I meant," Brae said. "I meant, ain't nobody gonna bother us in there, will they?"

Understanding dawned and Lindsey clenched her fists under the table and took a breath. She was starting to agree with Damon's plan for taking care of the girls' biological progenitors. "Girls, I promise you that no one will bother you while you're here. Stefan isn't that kind of man. He's a good, kind man. He would never hurt a little girl. We would never let people like that in our house, anyway. Damon and I will keep you both safe, and you don't have to worry about anyone bothering you. I know you've heard a lot of broken promises, but I'm telling you now that we won't let anyone hurt either one of you. O.K.?" She looked from one elfin face to the other. The girls nodded in unison. "All right then. Let's get these gingerbread men in the oven. You've been such good help to me today!" She put the gingerbread into the oven and said, "It's sunny out. Want to play outside for a little while?" The girls nodded eagerly, and Lindsey helped them into their jackets and they ran outside for the swingset.

She watched them play for several minutes. "I'm going in to check the gingerbread. Back in a minute." Lindsey went inside and just as she was taking the second pan out to cool, she heard a scream. She looked out the window and Brae was lying on the ground. She set the pan down and went outside at a full run, although not vampire speed. "What on earth happened? Brae! Are you all right? Can you hear me?"

Brae nodded and looked up at Lindsey. "She jumped out of the swing after you done went and told us not to," Shani informed her.

"Is that so?" Lindsey said, stunned. She wasn't always certain about her own compulsion skills, but Damon? He excelled in it, and he'd been the one to forbid her from doing this. "Brae, can you talk?" The little girl shook her head. "I think you had the wind knocked out of you. You'll be all right in a few minutes. Time to go inside." Lindsey picked up the little girl, just in time to see Damon pop his head out of his workshop. "Everything's all right," Lindsey called. He looked concerned, but Lindsey shook her head. "I'll tell you later." He nodded and disappeared inside.

In the girls' bedroom, Lindsey doctored Brae's scraped knee and the child said, "What you gonna do to me?"

"Tell me what you did."

"I jumped out of the swing after you told me not to."

Lindsey nodded. "And why is that not a good thing to do?"

"I could get hurt."

"Are you sorry you did it? Really sorry?"

Brae nodded, then said, "It was fun, though." Lindsey hid a grin at that bit of honesty.

"Until you knocked yourself silly?"

"Yes'm."

"Well, we told you not to do it and you did it anyway, so I'm afraid you don't get to play on the swingset tomorrow. At all. Even if it's sunny all day. You can play on the front porch and we'll go for a walk if the weather's nice, but otherwise, you're confined to the house all day. Playing on the swingset is a privilege, and if you can't follow the rules, which are very simple, and meant to keep you safe, you lose the privilege for a day. Is that fair?"

"Yes'm," Brae answered.

"O.K." Lindsey folded the little girl into a hug. "I'm glad you're all right. Lie down and nap for me."

Once the girls were both asleep, Lindsey went down to the shop. Damon was turning some chair legs on a lathe, but stopped when she spoke.

"What happened out there?" he asked, nodding toward the swing set.

"Brae jumped out of the swing and knocked herself silly," Lindsey answered. "You compelled her, right?"

"Thought I did." Damon's eyes were wide with surprise. "But she did it anyway, huh?"

"Yep."

"Hmmm. That's unusual."

"It is. But come to think of it, something Dana told me about the night they were removed may be the answer."

Damon wiped the sawdust off his hands. "What's that?"

"She said the sheriff's deputy found the girls hiding in a closet. A neighbor called when she said she heard screams and yelling. But Dana said there was a fire in the trailer, and even after the fire department got there, they had a hard time putting it out. One of the firefighters said it was like something kept re-lighting the fire. He thought it might have been a sneak gas line. Didn't you tell me that Bonnie's favorite means of destruction is fire?"

The puzzle pieces fell into place and Damon nodded slowly. "Mmm-hmm. And witches can't be compelled."

Lindsey nodded. "And the mom's boyfriend had second-degree and a few third-degree burns on his body. And they didn't know the girls were in the trailer until the sheriff's department got there. Fire department got there first. Of course, deputies had been out there before and knew the girls lived there, so they just brought the caseworker with them. That's why they took a little longer getting there. Same neighbor called about the fire, too."

"Well that makes sense. Glad Bonnie's coming in with Stefan and Caroline. Maybe she can help. I do remember Bonnie mentioning to Elena once that sometimes when she was a little girl, 'things' would happen, like something catching fire, or lights blowing out, or something like that. And it was usually when she was really scared or upset," Damon said.

"Think we've got a couple of little witches with us?"

"One anyway, I'd say. I'll call Bonnie tonight and let her know. She might have some thoughts on the situation," Damon answered. "And what did you do about their gifts? I thought you were going to Atlanta."

"Don't have to. I ordered them online. I think we'll have some tickled little girls when they see those dolls. They should be here tomorrow, so we'll have to keep an eye out for the Fed Ex guy. I've got Brae on house arrest tomorrow for the swing set episode, and the company arrives tomorrow, too." Lindsey told her husband about Brae's and Shani's concerns about being "bothered," and he growled audibly.

"I'd better never run into any of that woman's former boyfriends," he said.

"Ha. You'll have to stand in line behind me," was Lindsey's tart reply. "But we'll make sure they're never bothered like that again."

"Damn right," Damon said.

Brae coped with the enforced confinement better than Lindsey thought she would. And she knew that when their guests arrived, the girls would probably be too excited to care about going outside. Bonnie agreed that Brae at least, was probably a baby witch, and therefore, needed extra protection.

Late that afternoon, Lindsey had the girls in the kitchen, coloring, when she heard a car. Damon came downstairs and she heard him go to the door and welcome his brother, Caroline and Bonnie. Caroline bounced into the kitchen and gave Lindsey a big hug.

"Hey there! It's so good to see you! Are these the munchkins? Aren't they precious!"

"We not munchkins!" Shani said indignantly.

Lindsey shot her a look. "Mind your manners. This is Caroline. And here's Bonnie. Ladies, this is Brae and Shani. Why don't you two show Bonnie up to the attic room?" She wanted Bonnie to get to know the girls away from the vamps in the house.

"That would be nice. I might get lost!" Bonnie exclaimed, smiling at the children. She held out a hand to each of them, and they went up the stairs, chattering all the way.

"They're so cute!" Caroline exclaimed.

"They are. It continues to boggle my imagination how a mother could treat her children like that. Damon's been itching to track down the latest boyfriend and… well… you know Damon."

The look on the blonde's face was eloquent. "Oh yeah. I know."

The men came into the kitchen and Stefan went to Lindsey for a hug. "Hey sis. What smells so incredible?"

"Just pork chops."

"It smells incredible. Good thing I can't gain weight. I'd put on 40 pounds every time I came down here."

Lindsey snickered. "You and Damon both. Klaus dropped by last night to invite us all to NOLA for Christmas at Maison Mikaelson, and also to pick my brain about the Augustine case. Fortunately, I had two excellent reasons for saying no. Klaus Mikaelson is the LAST person I want to spend Christmas with! Call me hard-hearted." She waved her hand in a gesture of dismissal and Stefan laughed. He knew Lindsey had no use for the Original. Not that Stefan was that fond of him, either.

"So if you'd been around when Damon got the werewolf bite, and you knew Klaus' blood would cure him, what would you have done?" Stefan asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Me? I'd have borrowed that excellent crossbow from Ric, shot Klaus full of stakes, and before he healed up, I'd have blood-jacked him, then tied him up in a vervain-soaked sack and dumped him in the quarry. It would've taken even an Original a while to get out of that one."

"Now why didn't any of us think of that?" Caroline said.

"It's Mystic Falls. Something in the water up there prevents people from taking the most direct, common-sense route for anything," Lindsey replied.

Stefan laughed. "You know, there may be something to that theory," he said. His face softened. "And you'd have done it for Damon, even if you died trying."

"Yep. For some reason, I love that mildly psychopathic, ornery cuss."

Damon was in the living room, but heard every word, and smiled to himself. Some days, he still couldn't believe a woman loved him like Lindsey loved him.

* * *

"You really want to stay all the way up here, Miss Bonnie?" Brae asked. "It's awful high up!"

"I like it. It's quiet," Bonnie answered. She knew both these little girls were baby witches as soon as she took their hands. She needed to contact her coven about a possible supernatural family for them here. The coven would never allow them to go back to their birth family.

Bonnie rummaged in her duffle for her grimoire. She handed it to Brae. "Ever seen one of these before?" she asked.

"N-no," the little girl answered. "What is it?"

Bonnie smiled at her. "My grimoire. Hold it in your hands. Think about whether you feel something from it." She took the book and gave it to Shani. "You too. Hold it and think really hard about it. What do you feel?"

Suddenly, the book opened in Shani's lap and the pages started fluttering. The child gasped and shoved the grimoire out of her lap. "That book's got the devil in it!" she exclaimed.

Bonnie laughed softly and picked up the grimoire. "No, it doesn't have the devil in it. That wasn't because of what's in the book; it's the power inside you, Shani! And you too, Brae!" With them being sisters and being so close in age, Bonnie had a feeling the girls somehow linked and shared their power. It was an unusual situation.

"I don't have no power in me!" Shani exclaimed.

"You don't?" Bonnie replied. "You've never had funny things happen when you got really upset, or something, like a light bulb burning out, or maybe something falling from a shelf? Never anything like that?"

"How do you know about that?" Brae asked, her voice fearful.

"It's all right, sweetheart. Nothing to be afraid of. For you two, it's absolutely normal, O.K.?" Still seeing doubt in their faces, she said, "Well, let me ask you this. When Lindsey holds your hand or hugs you, do you feel anything - or see anything?" Sometimes children were much more in tune to that side of their powers than adults ever would be.

Shani nodded. "Ms. Lindsey cares about us a whole lot. But she gets sad when she thinks about us leaving, like after Christmas. She wants us to stay."

Bonnie smiled. She was right on the money; Bonnie got the same feeling.

Brae piped up, "Ms. Lindsey wishes she had little girls. She always seeing about us and doing for us."

"I'm sure she is. What about Damon?"

The girls looked at each other, and Bonnie was positive they were communicating in some way.

"Mr. Damon loves Ms. Lindsey," Brae said. "But he got shadows chasing him, trying to make him act bad."

"Oh really?" Bonnie replied. Well, that made some kind of sense.

Shani nodded. "But them shadows can't get to him when Ms. Lindsey's around. She runs them off."

"How does she do that?"

Shani grinned and squirmed. "She hugs him or pats his head. And the shadows go zip! Like when you blow out a birthday candle!"

"O.K.," Bonnie said. Again, that confirmed what Damon told Bonnie: Lindsey helped him stay in control. "What else do you notice?" she asked.

"Ms. Lindsey didn't like that man that came by yesterday. She was nice to him, but made us stay in the kitchen while he was here," Brae said. "I told her I didn't like him, and she didn't say anything, but I could tell she didn't like him either. He was a bad man. They called him Klaus, but he didn't act like Santa Claus to me!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, he wasn't Santa, don't worry," Bonnie said, amused. These girls definitely needed to be in a supernatural-friendly family, where they could learn to use their gifts the right way. Otherwise, they'd probably end up alcoholics and drug addicts as they tried to control their powers and seem normal. She suspected that was what happened to their mother.

The next day was Christmas Eve, and the girls could hardly contain themselves. Lindsey had Stefan and Damon outside with them most of the day, just to run off the adrenaline. She went to church that evening and when she got back, the girls were playing Monopoly with Caroline and Bonnie.

"Lindsey! These girls are grifting slumlords!" Caroline exclaimed when she came in.

"Don't complain to me. I told you they're sharp," Lindsey said. "But who wants cocoa and Christmas cookies?"

"Me! Me!" came the chorus, and the girls followed Lindsey into the kitchen. She had cocoa for everyone and entrusted Brae with the tray of Christmas cookies. After they ate, Lindsey went to the bookcase and extracted a book that looked like it had seen better days. "What's that?" Shani asked.

"Let's sit on the sofa and you'll find out," Lindsey answered. She got the girls on either side of her, as the adults looked on. "Now then," she said, "It was a tradition in my family to read this on Christmas Eve. Since they're all gone now," and here there was a catch in her throat, "You all are my family, so I'm reading it." She opened the book. "'A Visit from St. Nicholas', by Clement C. Clarke," she began. "'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - not even a mouse.'" As she read, the stillness in the house was hardly broken, as Stefan, Damon, Bonnie and Caroline listened with rapt attention, each with memories of Christmas Past.

"A Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'" Lindsey concluded and closed the book. Shani and Brae sighed in satisfaction and she looked to see Caroline and Bonnie, both with tears on their cheeks, Stefan, whose green eyes had gone soft and misty, and Damon, his blue eyes bright with memories. "I see by the clock it's past bedtime, so if you want Santa Claus to hurry up and get here, you ladies need to be in the bed! I'll remember to leave the cookies and milk out. Let's go to bed."

The girls protested, but Lindsey was firm, and when the girls were finally in bed, Lindsey went downstairs and made mulled hard cider for the adults. They drank cider, talked about Christmases long ago, and finally made their way up to bed, too.

"Damon's so different now," Caroline said as she and Stefan lay in bed. "He's crazy about those little girls. I honestly never thought I'd see him like this. I never thought he was capable of it."

"I knew he was capable of it. I just never thought he'd let himself feel this much again," Stefan answered.

* * *

Lindsey saw Damon's expression as she got into bed. "What's the matter, baby?"

"Tonight," he answered.

"What about it?"

"Brought back a lot of memories I thought were buried. Mother read to us on Christmas Eve. And almost always, 'The Night Before Christmas' was something she read. I know Stefan was thinking about that, too. If only she'd made it out West. I'd have gone with her, and never met Katherine, probably. Sometimes, it just hits a little close, that's all."

Lindsey cuddled close to Damon and kissed him softly. "I understand. Love you," she murmured to him.

"Love you too."

* * *

Christmas morning dawned sunny and cold. Shani and Brae were up as soon as the light was gray outside. They ran full tilt into the living room to see an array of gifts under the tree and spread around the room. They were trying to be quiet, and failing completely, when Damon and Lindsey came downstairs.

"If you two can sit down by the tree, I'll sort it all out and you can start tearing into your loot," Lindsey said. She handed each of them a large box. Squeals greeted the unwrapping, which revealed American Girl dolls, each customized to look like the girls. More wrapping covered doll outfits and a beautiful little china tea set. Each child also received a little trunk with storage for their doll and all their clothing.

Damon sat in the recliner, just watching the proceedings, when Shani looked up at him. She went to him, climbed in his lap and said, "Merry Christmas, Mr. Damon."

"Merry Christmas to you, too," he replied, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

The child looked seriously at him. "Don't be sad. It's Christmas. Ms. Lindsey wants you to be happy! So do I!" and here she kissed his cheek.

Lindsey wished she had a picture of the look of pleased shock on her husband's face. That was a moment she would remember the rest of her life. Damon, for his part, put his arm around the girl and looked as though he'd never need another Christmas present.

He looked at his wife, who was busy stuffing wrapping paper scraps into a trash bag. She glanced at him and grinned. Lindsey turned to the girls. "All right. It's just 5:30 in the morning, and we're still tired. And I'm betting that now you have your presents opened, you can probably go back upstairs and sleep for a little longer. I'll call you in time for breakfast. Off you go, now."

The girls rushed Lindsey, hugging her and thanking her and Damon. They went upstairs.

Lindsey looked after them. "I want them to remember this Christmas as the one where they got everything they wanted, and were happy, without anything to mess it up."

Damon went to stand behind Lindsey and put his arms around her. "They'll remember it, for sure." He nuzzled her ear. "Your Christmas present is in the bedroom."

"Isn't it always?" she shot back and Damon looked a little hurt.

"Seriously. I kept it in there," he said.

Lindsey turned to face Damon and kissed him. "Then let's go see it."

They went upstairs and Lindsey peeked into the girls' room. They were already asleep again, hugging their dolls and teddy bears close. She smiled and silently closed the door.

They went into their bedroom and Damon locked the door. He went to his armoire and felt around in the back. He drew out a couple of boxes and handed them to her. She opened the smaller box and found what looked like a jewelry case. She shot him a look and opened the case. Inside, nestled inside a creamy velvet lining, were a rope of pink-gold pearls, matching earrings, and a pearl bracelet.

"They're beautiful, Damon," Lindsey said, knowing there was no way to tell him to stop buying jewelry for her. He enjoyed doing it. "Thank you." And they were beautiful. She loved the colors. She smiled at him and opened the other box. Her eyes widened when she saw what it was: a set of intricately carved nesting dolls, beautifully painted. She looked up at Damon, awed. "These are absolutely incredible. Where in the world did you get them?" She took the largest doll apart, and found there were a total of 12, each with a different face and carving.

Damon's face was like sunshine as he said, "I made them. A Russian lady from Birmingham painted them for me."

Lindsey's smile lit up the room. "Oh, Damon. These are so wonderful! And because you made them, they're even more precious." She stood and kissed him softly. "Thank you, love."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like them."

"I do. So much. Interested in seeing your gift?"

"Of course," he said with a grin.

Lindsey went to her closet and located a box. She handed it to Damon, and he ripped the paper off, then raised the lid. There, in a bed of straw, was a bottle of one of the most expensive U.S. bourbons on the market. Lindsey had looked high and low for it, and when she found the one bottle a retailer in Bardstown, Kentucky had in stock, she offered him double the asking price. She had never gained an appreciation for liquor, but she knew Damon would recognize its value.

He looked at it. "Old Rip Van Winkle's 23-Year-Old Kentucky Whiskey." He looked a little shocked. "Where did you find this? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get ahold of this bourbon? _Nobody_ carries it!"

"Tell me about it," she answered wryly. "But I managed to get you the last bottle for this year, probably in the whole Southeast."

"This is not a cooking bourbon, so no sneaking it for fruitcake cookies!" he teased.

"For what I paid for it? No way," she replied. "But you can toast the New Year in with it, or something."

"I will. This is a sipping bourbon. I can't wait to try it. Later tonight, after the munchkins are asleep, and we have the den to ourselves." He broke the seal, opened the bottle and sniffed. "Incredible." He waved the bottle under Lindsey's nose and she sniffed, then grinned at him.

"Smells like rubbing alcohol to me. You know I have no appreciation for this stuff. Maybe in a hundred years or so."

Damon shook his head, carefully closed and secured the bottle and set it on his dresser. "The door's locked, and best I can figure, we've got at least three or four more hours before the rugrats get back up. And our bed is very warm and cozy."

"Electric blankets are a great invention," Lindsey said.

"You'd better believe it," he answered. He lay down and patted the space beside him. Lindsey joined him and snuggled to him as she turned her face up for his kiss.

* * *

Packing up the girls' things was one of the hardest things Lindsey ever did. Bonnie contacted her coven, and they found a supernatural family in the area, pushed through the long-term foster care paperwork, and the girls had a loving home waiting on them. But these little girls had a firm hold on Lindsey's heart, and she cried as she got their clothes together. Damon was stoic, as usual, but Lindsey knew this was hitting him hard, too.

They said goodbye the day after New Year's, after watching the Tournament of Roses Parade the day before, for the first time. Lindsey cried quietly into her pillow that night, as Damon tried to comfort her. He felt terrible. He was going to miss the girls too, and he couldn't give Lindsey any daughters of her own. He knew she'd accepted she would never have children long before she turned, but he still felt some responsibility for her never having a family of her own. So he held her close, not saying anything, but stroking her hair and making gentle humming noises as she sobbed. Lindsey loved so fiercely, Damon knew, and she loved with her whole heart. And she had fallen in love with these girls. The only thing making it bearable was knowing they were going to a family who wanted them and would love them and take care of them.

When Dana and the girls' new family came to get them the next day, Lindsey was determined not to cry in front of them. Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie left the day before, and Lindsey was dry-eyed as they said goodbye. She hugged and kissed the girls and shook hands with their new foster parents, who of course, knew immediately what she was, and were obviously puzzled. Lindsey figured she'd just let the girls explain in their own time.

"You two be good," she said to them. Shani ran to her and jumped into her arms.

"I'm gonna miss you," she said.

"I'll miss you too, Shani. But you're always welcome here. Any time you want to come back, come on. This door is always open for you and Brae." Lindsey's smile was a little watery, but she managed to hold it together until the cars disappeared down the drive. The girls were waving through the windows until they were out of sight.

When the yard was silent again, Lindsey said, "There's nothing worse than seeing taillights disappearing into the distance, carrying someone you love." She turned and went into the house.

Damon stood outside a few more minutes, thinking about the times he drove away from the woman he loved, and how bereft she must have felt. His own heart was aching, missing those kids. The house was going to be an awfully quiet, somber place for a few days. He walked out to his shop, not even able to look at the empty swingset.

Lindsey sat in the rocker that belonged to her grandmother. She rocked slowly, silent tears falling. She could never blame Damon for what she was now. It was her decision. He hadn't forced her to do anything, but looking down the years seemed awfully lonely, and she understood suddenly why some vampires went crazy. They were filling up the space. Longevity definitely had its downside. But she knew that when she turned. She knew what Damon had been through. He'd never sugarcoated any aspect of his life. He'd never been anything but honest with her. As she dabbed at her eyes, Damon's almost silent footsteps came into the room. He sat in his recliner and looking at his wife, held out his hands. She went into his arms and cried again.

"I love you Lindsey, and I always will," he said. As he laid his dark head against hers, he thought the bitter had come this Christmas, as it usually did for him, but at least the sweet outweighed it this year. He held Lindsey close and was thankful for her, and for her constant love.


	11. Chapter 11: Into the Storm

**A/N: Well, I said I had these chapters written, so the updates would be quicker, for a while at least. And yes, it gets dark, as you may gather from the chapter title. There may be triggers here, so be warned. It's "M" for a reason. Still, please read and review! Thank you!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Into the Storm**

 **March 2017**

Lindsey walked back to the car to wait for Damon. They were shopping in Birmingham and he wanted to look at something, so she said she'd sit in the car and listen to the radio. Just as she approached the vehicle, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck, followed by racking nausea - vervain. Before she hit the ground, she sent out a frantic cry to Damon along their bond, felt her daylight necklace being ripped off, and then, darkness.

"Ah, you're awake, little pet," a voice said, piercing her consciousness. Lindsey looked up to see an unfamiliar man hovering over her. The room was very dim, although her augmented sight could make out his features. He had a handsome face, but the stamp of cruelty was clear on it.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she said, her throat dry.

Her head seemed to explode as the man slapped her. "That's 'who are you SIR!' I, little pet, am your new master. I own you. You will refer to me as sir or master at all times." He continued speaking, but Lindsey wasn't listening. She called frantically for Damon, but couldn't feel him through the bond.

He slapped her again. "I asked you a question, slut!"

Lindsey eyed him and tried her bonds, but they wouldn't break. Still she remained silent.

"Your strength won't break these chains. Now, for the third time - and I am not a patient man - do you understand that you are to obey me, without question, at all times?"

Suddenly, Lindsey was mad, clear through. It was the same kind of white-hot anger that caused her to knock Damon upside the head with that iron skillet. She was going to speak her mind to this bastard, and she didn't care what the consequences might be. She narrowed her eyes at him and drawled, "Go straight to hell. Do not pass Go and do not collect two hundred dollars." And she spit on him for good measure.

He yanked her up by what she now knew was a collar and chain. He hissed, "I thought you were smart. You were supposed to be highly intelligent, but apparently, you're a fool." He dragged her to the middle of the floor by her handcuffed wrists and turned a hose on her. The water was ice-cold.

* * *

Damon heard - and felt - Lindsey's cry, and not caring who might see him, flashed into the parking lot by the car. "Lindsey!" He called for her, but nothing. Then, on the ground by the car, he saw her purse, daylight necklace and her wedding and engagement rings. He knew she would never take them off voluntarily. He picked them up and put them in his pocket and put her purse in the car. Someone knew their significance, which meant she was probably abducted by a vampire. He growled, "Somebody wants to die." He called for her through the bond once again: nothing.

Damon got in the car and got on his phone. "Stefan, get Caroline and Bonnie and get your asses to Alabama. Someone - probably a vampire - got Lindsey, and I need a locator spell. I'll meet you at the house in the morning." He clicked off the call.

Stefan looked at his phone, and then at Caroline, who looked back at him, wide-eyed. "Someone _took_ Lindsey? As in abducted?" she said.

"That's the impression I got," Stefan answered.

"Wow. Guy must have a death wish, if he knows who Lindsey's married to."

"Ain't that the truth?" Stefan replied. He didn't even want to think about what would happen to the individual if Damon got his hands on him. "Call Bonnie. He needs a locator spell. Let's get packed and ready to go. I'll call Jakob and see if he's still on this side of the country. If he is, I know he'll want in on this."

"Call Elijah, too," Caroline said.

"Why?"

"Just trust me and do it."

Stefan nodded his assent and went upstairs to pack.

Damon was awake all night, calling to Lindsey through the bond, with no success. Where could she be? He went to the attic, to her office, to her computer. Even computer solitaire was preferable to thinking too much about who took his mate, and where. He tapped a key, and surprisingly, Lindsey's screen saver came on. He normally didn't pay much attention to that kind of thing - until now. He knew his wife loved to take pictures, and her years at the paper had turned her into a competent photographer. She used a digital camera, and her phone.

This screensaver was a slideshow of her photos. Some of them were pictures of the house, the maple tree in the fall, Little River Canyon, Lake Tahoe. The rest, unbelievably, were of him. She had a way of sneaking around and getting photos when he never knew it. She had pictures of him working on the old Camaro, leaning his elbows on the railing of the upstairs porch, a couple with Stefan when they were both laughing, of him whittling, or sound asleep on the sofa, a book open on his chest, and several with their temporary foster children. One in particular showed him in the rocker in the nursery, holding a baby, giving her a bottle. He watched the slideshow through three times - not to look at himself, per se, but seeing himself as Lindsey saw him. Did she really see him like that? He was racked with pain and longing for his mate.

Damon sat down on the futon in the attic office, and then stretched out. He couldn't sleep in their bed without her. He closed his eyes and before he realized it, he was dreaming about her. It was their first night together as lovers in Birmingham - 12 years before.

" _Let me love you… I don't think you'll regret it," he said, and his heart nearly stopped when he felt Lindsey's small hands on his face and her mouth pressed sweetly to his. Sweet - that was the word. As he kissed her, touched her, ran his tongue across the pale, smooth skin of her neck, sweet is what he tasted. Before he was turned, Damon had a sweet tooth, but sugar was expensive, and his father frowned on desserts. But Lindsey was living, hot, melting sugar in his arms, under his tongue, in his nose. She moved against him deliciously, making small noises every time he touched her. She sighed as her hands found his back and she ran her short nails lightly down his skin, raising goosebumps, making him purr into her neck. His hands found her breasts under her shirt, and he growled in satisfaction. "They're so soft," he murmured._

" _Is that a problem?" was her reply and Damon paused to look at Lindsey. She could hardly see him in the dark room, but he could see her face clearly, and there was doubt and a touch of fear written on it. No, Damon had no issues with a woman who felt and responded as a woman. He told her so and felt her relax. He knew in that moment that extreme tenderness was called for here. He had to make sure Lindsey felt beautiful, sexy - good enough for him to love. Otherwise, he knew she would just shut down again._

 _He entered her body, and stopped as he smelled blood. She was a virgin. Insecure, unsure Lindsey had given_ _ **him**_ _her innocence. Damon wasn't sure he could deal with that. But she assured him she was all right, that this was what she wanted and he made love to her as gently as he could. She relaxed into his arms, and the next morning, he tasted her honeyed blood for the first time, then bit his own lip so she could taste his blood and heal the marks on her neck. He could feel her hands in his hair. She loved stroking his hair. They were together in a way he had never experienced being with a woman..._

And then, Damon woke up, devastated that it was only a dream, but suddenly aware that was when their blood bond was first formed. It was the very first time he tasted her blood, which meant they were in love then. The knowledge was haunting. All those years he spent looking for other things that didn't matter, gave him nothing - when she had given him everything from the beginning. Damon missed his mother terribly when she died, but it was nothing compared to the actual ache in his heart for Lindsey. He missed his mate with an agony he had never experienced. If - when - he got her home, he was never leaving her alone again for any reason. Ever.

* * *

Lindsey was blue with cold, but she would rather die than give any sign of it. She could also feel the healing nicks and scratches on her head, her legs, her bikini area, where that pervert shaved her. Well, she lived with a bald head before when she was on chemo. She could live with one now. She was replaying movies in her head, songs, verses of Scripture - anything to keep her sane. She didn't doubt Damon would find her. The trouble was in not losing her mind until he did.

The pervert apparently loved the sound of his own voice, and had gone on and on about how he owned her, and it was perfect revenge on Damon, who had enticed his fiancee away from him. He droned on about how Lindsey was now his sex slave, so she might as well get used to it, and submit fully. Well, he had picked the wrong woman for that, she thought. Even though she was scared to death, she was also angry. She knew he wanted her to fight him. Only that wasn't going to happen. Every time he picked her up, she went limp and became dead weight. She just zoned out. Of course, it wasn't a problem for his vampire strength, but her very lack of any response frustrated him beyond reason.

He had some kind of X-shaped contraption in the cold, concrete room, and he chained her to it, face down, and raped her, probably ten times. She could feel blood running down her leg. At least she was a vampire and would heal. But he got no response - no screams, no whimpers, nothing. Then, he tried caressing her, but all that did was make her nauseated. The very idea of any man but Damon touching her intimately was repugnant, and she vomited blood all over the floor. Of course, then, she had the pleasure of cleaning it up, along with getting another icy bath.

He tied her up in a variety of positions, some of which dislocated her shoulders and knees, which healed, of course, but she could tell it was taking longer. It had been a while since she had fed properly - maybe the morning she was taken. She couldn't remember. He had given her two small cups of blood - about the size of a dose of cough syrup - and it wasn't enough to keep her body healing as it ought to. Lacing the blood with vervain didn't help, either. But she choked it down anyway.

Cold as she was, on the concrete floor, Lindsey was at the end of her endurance and she dozed off. Damon kissed her the first time in Nashville, after kissing her in her dream. She still remembered the way his mouth felt as he brought his lips to hers. He had the most incredible mouth, with full lips, beautifully shaped. So many men had thin lips, but not Damon. He found her tongue with his, and she had moaned with the feeling. He encouraged her to explore his mouth, and with the tip of her tongue, she felt the tiny uneven spot on one front tooth, where he had fallen as a boy and chipped his tooth on a tree root. Lindsey was glad he didn't get a cap on the tooth; she thought the tiny imperfection gave his smile a disarming sweetness - as if Damon Salvatore needed to be more disarming. She remembered hearing the soft crackle as his fangs dropped, and she pulled back, ending the kiss. But that kiss stoked a hunger in her body that only his lips - his body - could satisfy. When she woke, Lindsey leaned her head against the wall and yearned for Damon's arms around her.

* * *

Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie drove all night to get to Alabama the next morning. Damon sat on the porch and Stefan was shocked at his appearance. He was hollow-eyed and haggard. "Thank you for coming. I appreciate it," he said.

"She's family," Stefan answered, then said, "When was the last time you fed? You look awful. Go get some blood."

"Not hungry," Damon replied.

Caroline huffed irritably. "Go get some blood before you start looking at Bonnie like she's a steak dinner!" All she got for her trouble was one of Damon's best evil glares, which told Stefan how distraught his brother was.

Bonnie sighed and went to Damon. She took his hands in hers. "Damon, I am so sorry you're going through this. But we're going to find Lindsey, all right? And when we do, you need to be at your full strength so you can help her. Go feed, now, O.K.?" Her voice was quiet and she put her arms around him and gave him a hug.

He stroked her hair fondly. "Thank you, Bon-Bon," he said, and went to the cellar for blood.

Stefan and Caroline looked at her. "He's hurting. He didn't need you two yowling at him. Poor thing. Caroline, go upstairs and get me some of Lindsey's personal items. You know, hairbrush, stuff like that. Stefan, bring the luggage in, if you will, and let me get my grimoire out and start looking at likely location spells."

Suitably chastened, they went to do as Bonnie asked and she spread out a map on the kitchen table and focused on it. She held her hands over it and chanted.

"Anything, witchy?" Damon asked from the doorway.

She smiled at him. "She's alive and in the Southeast. I can't pinpoint where. Not yet. But let me try a couple of these spells. You say you can't feel her at all? How long have you been able to send actual thoughts to each other?"

"Only since that weekend in Atlanta last summer."

Bonnie patted the chair next to her. "Sit down and tell me about it. Anything could help." Which was true, but Bonnie was also extremely curious about how this new manifestation of their blood bond worked.

Damon grinned at Bonnie as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, but he sat anyway. "Well, it was when George Neville attacked her. She called for me through the bond. I don't know how she did it, and she didn't either, really. She said it was just instinct. So after that, we practiced using it. It still works best with strong emotions, but I can almost always pick up on her consciousness, let's say. I know kind of what's going on with her at any given moment. It's not telepathy, exactly. More like empathy. I pick up on feelings more than specific thoughts, unless she's making an effort to send something to me. She's better at it than I am, though."

Bonnie nodded. "That is helpful. How does Lindsey describe it?"

"Well, she's the writer, so it's better than my description. She said she sees the bond as like a rope of light connecting us, and when she sends something, it's like the message pulses up and down the rope. Like a sound wave or something, I guess."

"Hmm. Maybe she's on to something. Maybe it's some kind of energy field. That would explain why it doesn't work as well when you're separated." She patted his shoulder. "You look a lot better."

"Thanks. I'll leave you to your mojo stuff. Food's in the fridge, if you're hungry. Help yourself."

"I appreciate it, Damon," she answered.

Damon disappeared into the woods for a while, but came back when he heard a car pull into the driveway. The car wasn't familiar, but the driver was. Jake eased his tall frame out of the vehicle and went to Damon at the side of the house.

"Any word?" he asked.

Damon shook his head. "Bonnie's still doing her witchy stuff. The first spell didn't work. But she's alive. We know that much. I just can't feel her from here."

Jakob grasped Damon's shoulder. "She'll find Lindsey. I feel it in my bones."

"I hope you're right. Jake, I can tell you. I'm losing my shit, here. Lindsey is my wife, my mate - my _world_! I can't live without her. She's… She's everything. _Everything_! Anything good in my life? It's because of her. Without her, I'm the monster again. I _won't_ live without her, Jake, I'm telling you."

His friend nodded. "I get it, Damon. I'm kind of partial to her, myself, so you know I'll do anything I can to help."

"Thank you. I know you were on your way back to Texas. Thanks for diverting."

"No problem. Elle would stake me if I came back without helping you. Let's find this mate of yours." They walked into the house.

Jakob was in Knoxville when Stefan reached him, and immediately agreed to meet them in Alabama. If they located Lindsey, he wanted to be in on it, for sure. Plus, he figured Stefan might need some help wrangling Damon. He knew his friend would be in a highly unstable frame of mind, and his brother would probably need all the help he could get. So far, they had managed to keep Damon from going on a rampage, but if they didn't find his mate, Jake wasn't sure how long they could keep him reined in, though. Damon was nothing if not a force of nature.

* * *

The afternoon wore on, as Bonnie tried different spells, with no success.

"Why isn't it working?" Damon asked Bonnie, as he prowled around the kitchen table. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Damon. I'm sorry. I want to find her, too. But these are fairly simple locator spells I've been using. Let me check my grimoire. There are others."

"Just find her, witchy. FIND her!" he snapped and stormed outside.

Bonnie sighed, her eyes worried. Stefan, Caroline and Jake looked at each other. "He's on the verge of a breakdown," Stefan said.

"Not on the verge, brother. THERE!" came Damon's voice from the front porch. He wanted to drive to Birmingham and start tearing humans apart. Oh, when he got the bastard who had his Lindsey…

"Take a break, Bon," Stefan said. "Even in the state he's in, Damon knows you have to recharge. Have a bite to eat and get some rest. Maybe you can find something in the grimoire and we can try again in the morning. I don't want you running yourself out of juice."

She nodded, and checked an app on her phone. "The moon will be full about 5 a.m. I'll draw on that, and I'll find a more powerful spell. In the meantime, try to keep Damon from turning into a serial killer again."

Stefan shook his head. "Could be easier said than done."

* * *

Damon sat in the front porch swing and called for his mate over and over. No answer. What if they never found her? What would he do? What if they - no. He wouldn't even go there. He couldn't. There was no way she wasn't making it out of this. But he knew for certain that, if Lindsey didn't make it, after her abductor was tormented to death to pay for his crime, Damon would also die. Maybe he would find peace with her, or maybe he would roast in hell, but he wasn't living a day on this earth without his mate. End of discussion.

He stepped off the porch and went to where Lindsey's car was parked. He ran his hand along the hood, and then wandered to the edge of the woods at the back of the property, where he knew no one could hear him. He leaned against a tree and looked up at the stars. The moon wasn't up yet. Where was she? Alive, but that's all he could say.

Damon looked up again and cleared his throat. "Hey, um, you know, God, or whatever, I know you don't see much of me, which is probably fine with you. But you're the only one who knows where Lindsey is. And with all the crap I've done, you don't owe me a thing, and I know it. But Lindsey, now. Let's talk about her. If anybody ever deserved your attention, it's her. I mean, yeah, she turned, but hasn't she done everything to be a good person, in spite of that, to help people? I know we talked when she had cancer, and she made it through. Thanks for that, by the way. She needs some help now. I'm only asking for me a little. Mostly, I'm asking for her, because she deserves better than whatever is happening to her right now. And if you'd help us find her, and keep her safe, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks." He wasn't sure anyone heard, or cared, but he felt like he had to say it.

Stefan had gone out looking for Damon, and heard his soft words in the night. His heart broke for his brother, not for the first time. He looked up, too. "And that goes double for me," he whispered, then went back to the house, thoughtful.

Damon went back upstairs to Lindsey's office. He could feel her best up there, he thought, even more so than in their bedroom. This was where she wrote and created, and her energy seemed to linger here. He looked on her laptop again, and ran across a video someone emailed to her. It was from a co-worker. Apparently, they had been to sing karaoke somewhere, and the co-worker filmed one song of hers. He opened the file and waited while it downloaded. It was a cell phone video, and not great quality, but at least he could hear her sing. It was something.

Lindsey began, "This is for…" and her voice trailed off. "Well, I know who it's for, and he does, too." Damon checked the date - late 2011. That explained a lot. She must not have realized her friend had the song on video at the time, knowing how camera shy she was.

The music started. Damon wasn't familiar with the tune, but listened carefully as she sang,

" _When you've finally made your mind up that the high life's gettin' old,_

 _All the running after rainbows, chasin' fleeting pots of gold,_

 _You'll find your key still fits the lock that opens my front door,_

 _And I'll still love you, the way I did before._

 _When I said until death do us part, I meant just what I said._

 _I'll keep on thinking with my heart, forgettin' about my head._

 _But until the day that one of us walks through death's final door,_

 _I'm gonna love you the way I did before._

 _When you finally see it's make-believe, the world to which you've run,_

 _And it dawns upon your mind that in my heart, you're still the one,_

 _It won't be too late - don't worry - just walk through the same old door,_

 _And I'm gonna love you the way I did before._

 _I won't think about the way you've hurt me time and time again._

 _I'll think about the good times that we had, remember when?_

 _All that mattered was the fact we loved each other, nothing more._

 _And I'll still love you the way I did before._

 _All my friends say I'll go crazy if I think about you so._

 _Well, I might as well go crazy - I've got no place else to go._

 _And even if you never come and darken my front door,_

 _I'm gonna love you the way I did before."_

Tears streamed down Damon's face as he watched the short clip. He could hear the heartache in her voice. How many times had he hurt her when he left her? Why had he ever left her, even for a day? He was wracked with remorse and sorrow and fear.

"She has a sweet voice," Stefan said from the doorway. Damon just nodded, and Stefan did something he had done all too rarely the past hundred years: he went to his brother, put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him. For all their past differences, Stefan was still his brother, and Damon was able to finally break down and vent his anguish. Stefan led his brother to the futon and Damon sobbed into Stefan's shoulder, as Stefan held him and did his best to give what comfort he could. Caroline and Bonnie appeared in the doorway, and looked at Stefan and then each other, wide-eyed. He shooed them away with a gesture and they crept downstairs, both of them sobered by the sight. That was a Damon neither of them recognized.

"I feel like flipping the switch. It hurts so bad," Damon rasped.

"You do that and Lindsey will snap your neck when we find her. And I'll hold you down while she does it," Stefan answered.

"Yeah," he said with just a ghost of his trademark smirk.

"She sang that song for you. You're such an idiot for not coming back here sooner."

"I know, believe me. Ric Saltzman told me that repeatedly. So did Liz Forbes, God rest her soul. Bonnie said if she had known what was going on, she would've kidnapped me and dumped me here. Even Vampire Barbie said the same thing. So yeah, it's me: Damon Salvatore, quantity one, type, prize idiot." He rubbed his face.

Stefan snickered. "Get some sleep. Bonnie wants us up early so she can do that spell." He stood and walked to the door.

"Stefan?"

He turned to face Damon. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. I mean it. Thanks," Damon said, his voice rough.

Stefan smiled. "You're welcome, brother," he said.

 _Song: "The Way I Did Before," words and music by Larry Gatlin, released on the Columbia album "Straight Ahead," 1978._

* * *

 **Yes, an evil cliffhanger. But I won't leave it for long, I promise! Now, just type a review in that little box and make a writer happy, won't you?**


	12. Chapter 12: Inferno

**A/N: See? Told you the next few updates would be fast! I couldn't leave that cliffhanger where it was. The ride continues! I mention Lindsey has lost track of time. So her POV is not strictly linear, in case the sequence of events seems a little off. Damon's POV is the sequential timeline. Just wanted to clarify that. So, please read and review!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Inferno**

The next morning, Bonnie got everyone out of bed early. Damon was first into the kitchen. "Damon, since you and Lindsey are blood mates, your blood could help. And I talked to a couple of friends who say Lindsey's necklace should be a powerful locator, since it's bound to her, too."

Damon nodded and held out his arm. "Take it all, if it'll help you find her." He looked like he had been crying all night. Bonnie had never seen this side of Damon. She was still a little stunned from seeing him break down in Stefan's arms.

She smiled gently at him. "I won't need that much." She patted his hand. "If this works, I can also send her a note, so write something on a small piece of paper," she told him. He found a scrap of paper, scribbled a note and gave it to Bonnie.

Bonnie gathered the group at the kitchen table and lit four candles, one at each corner, and explained the steps in the ritual. She took Lindsey's daylight necklace and held it above the map, chanting. She nodded at Damon, and he dropped his fangs, opened a vein in his hand and allowed his blood to drip on to the hummingbird on the necklace. The blood slid down the pendant and on to the map, where it formed a little rivulet that snaked its way over the map and came to rest in north Georgia. The drop opened up and allowed Damon to see the name of the nearest town: Ellijay. He knew that was in the mountains. No wonder he couldn't feel her. She was nearly two hundred miles away. Lindsey must be terrified. He handed Bonnie the note and she laid it on top of the blood drops on the map, said some words and then, the paper caught fire and burned up.

"That's it," Bonnie said, after she completed the spell. "She's close to Ellijay."

"Let's get ready to go, then," Damon said. "We're probably three, three and a half hours from there." He looked at his watch. "Let's leave in twenty minutes. Blondie, would you be willing to stay here and look after the house?"

"Of course. You know I will. Let me know when you find her," Caroline answered.

"We will," Stefan said.

* * *

Lindsey lost all track of time. She wasn't sure how long she had been chained in this room. One tiny light was all the illumination she had. She refused to sit on the bench in the room. It would be a concession. She was a vampire and she could stand the cold floor. The tiny cup of blood was long since gone. She owed it to Damon to drink it, though, so she could be ready when he got to her. But her main source of strength was knowing her captor's days were numbered, even though she despised herself for feeling that way. Damon was creative and had a sadistic streak. He would show this idiot a whole new dimension of pain. The fool was unable to understand the level of agony Damon was going to inflict on him. If he had been human, Lindsey would have been free by now, but since she was dealing with a vampire, and one who was obviously much older and stronger, she would just have to wait for Damon. She knew he would find her. He had to.

The door opened and she looked up. Her captor walked inside, followed by six men. He went to her and without preamble, grabbed her by the chain on the collar and dragged her to the middle of the floor. He handcuffed her then, and pulling her by her nose, he pushed her head back and slapped her. Her mouth came open and he forced a gag into her mouth, which kept it open as he buckled the straps behind her head. Then he took the chain at the front of the collar, anchored it to the floor, and did the same at the back of the collar. Lindsey couldn't move her head and couldn't get enough leverage to break the chain. She glared at her captor with pure hate in her eyes, and filed this away as something else he would pay for when Damon got him. He then blindfolded her.

"Gentlemen, please, enjoy yourselves," he said.

An hour or so later, the men left and her abductor turned the cold hose on her, cleaning her of their leavings on her face and body - after she vomited on the floor. He then tied her to the X rack and raped her again. As usual, he got no response. Lindsey had not switched off her emotions; she just shut down mentally.

"I am so tired of your defiance, SLUT!" he yelled in frustration. "You are mine now, don't you understand? MINE! I'll do with you as I please! I will make you die the true death!"

He had removed the gag, and Lindsey, her voice hoarse from disuse, said, "Go ahead. I'm not afraid to die."

"Is that so?" He went to the metal cabinet and pulled out a wooden stake. He flashed to her and poised the stake above her heart. He pressed so hard, the point broke her skin. "Now what, little toy?" he said.

Lindsey looked at him and then looked upward. "I love you, Damon. And now, oh God, into your hands I commend my spirit." Then she fixed her eyes on her captor's. She would not flinch. She would not die in screaming submission. She would do it on her own terms. If he wanted to kill her, he would have to do it as she looked him in the eyes.

She felt him pressing the stake in harder, but she never broke eye contact with him. His face twisted in anger and he yanked the stake out, causing her to gasp, but she never flinched. "You're really not afraid to die the true death. Well, let's see how miserable I can make your existence, then."

Lindsey sat on the cold concrete and looked around for some way to escape for the millionth time. All she saw was the same thing - except for a tiny slip of paper on the floor. She grabbed it and started sobbing as soon as she saw the writing.

" _I'm coming for you. Hang on. I will be there. -Damon"_

Bonnie must have located her, then. She knew Damon would move heaven and earth to get to her. Knowing he was coming, that he knew at least roughly where she was gave her fresh hope. She chuckled grimly, knowing what would happen to her kidnapper when Damon found him. The only question was how quickly Damon would let him die. As much as she hated to do it, she kissed the paper, then dropped it down the latrine drain. She couldn't be caught with it. But she had committed the image to memory. She heard the door rattle again, and steeled herself for whatever he was going to do to her. But now, she could stand it. Damon was on his way.

* * *

Damon and Stefan were making time to Georgia, followed by Jakob and Bonnie. Elijah said he would meet them there, and Damon smiled to himself. Whoever had his Lindsey was about to find himself on the other end of a nasty surprise. They got to Ellijay, a nice little mountain town, went to a small cafe, and waited for Elijah to show.

"Can you feel her yet?" Stefan asked Damon.

He concentrated. "Faintly. She's terrified," and he screwed up his face, "and she's in agony," and then he grinned faintly, "And she's highly pissed off. Let me see if I can reach her." He closed his eyes and felt for her presence through the bond. " _I'm here. In Ellijay. I'm coming for you. Today."_ He focused his mind and thoughts, visualizing the energy rope Lindsey described, and felt her surprise and a flicker of joy, then the anger returned. "I contacted her. Sort of. She knows I'm coming, I think." He couldn't hide his relief at being able to feel her presence again. It was like walking around missing a hand, not being able to feel her.

The door to the cafe opened and Elijah walked inside. He nodded pleasantly at the server and seated himself in the booth with Damon and company. "Good morning. Coffee all around," he said to the server who approached them and as she walked away, he said, "Bonnie, do we have a pinpoint on Lindsey's location yet?"

"Getting there," she said. "It's about ten miles from here, in the mountains. As we get closer, I can home in on it better."

"Excellent. Well, I suggest we all fortify ourselves and be ready for a fight," Elijah said.

Damon looked at him. "Elijah, I can't thank you enough for coming."

Elijah smiled. "Damon, your wife has done an invaluable service for our kind." Here, he smiled. "And I like her a great deal. I'm glad I'm able to help."

Bonnie ate breakfast, while Damon and Jakob each ate some hashbrowns, just to make things look normal. Before they left, Damon said, "Google Maps says there's a little park in the direction of Bonnie's location spell. Let's pull over there and fill up." They left Damon's and Jakob's vehicles in the cafe parking lot and everyone piled into Elijah's SUV. When they got to the park, Damon and Jakob each drained two blood bags, and Stefan drank a Caroline-approved mixture of animal and human blood. Even Elijah drained a bag.

He turned to them. "Ready?"

Damon had his wrist stake launchers on underneath the sleeves of his jacket, along with a hunting knife sharpened to a deadly edge. Jakob slipped on a fishing vest, with vervain grenades in the pockets, along with a stake or two. Stefan had wrist launchers too, and Bonnie - well, Bonnie had her witchy mojo, as Damon said. No weapons necessary. Damon had her drink some vervain laced water, though, and put her in a bullet-proof jacket, just in case. She also carried two bags of blood for Lindsey.

With Bonnie guiding them, Elijah drove down a winding country road until they passed a rusty looking gate. "Here," she said. Elijah pulled the SUV into the underbrush, where it couldn't be seen from the road, and they all got out.

They walked to the barbed-wire fence. Damon looked it over carefully. "On the off chance the place is booby trapped, we'd better just jump the fence," he said. "Witchiepoo, get on Jake's back. He's the tallest and can jump with you hanging on. Plan to land several feet away from the fence," he explained, and took a running start. He cleared the fence and even Elijah had to admire his grace.

"Nicely done," he murmured, and leaped the fence himself. Stefan followed, and then they waited for Jakob. Bonnie had her arms around his neck, and didn't look at all sure that this was what she wanted to do.

Jake turned to Bonnie. "Hang on, sweetheart. I've got you," he said with a smile. Bonnie closed her eyes tightly as she felt acceleration, then Jake's muscles bunching for the jump, and then they were airborne and down, with barely a jar. He knelt so she could slide off his back. "You O.K.?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," she said, and he grinned. He liked this little witch a lot. Elle would like her too, he thought.

"All right. Let's roll," Damon said grimly. He moved like a ghost through the heavily wooded area, keeping the graveled drive to his left. Finally, they got to the edge of the woods, and saw a house in a cleared area. The group paused to look over the situation. Stefan slipped around the perimeter and came back.

"I don't see anyone outside," he whispered. "Can you get hold of Lindsey?"

Damon concentrated and felt for her consciousness. When he found her, he thought, " _We're here. Just outside. Do you know how many people are in the house?"_ When she responded, he was nearly knocked over by a wave of longing and fear - overlaid by pain.

" _I don't know. I'm in a basement or somewhere the daylight doesn't come in. He's here,"_ she said and Damon could feel violent hatred, so unlike Lindsey it made him want to vomit.

He shook his head to clear it. " _Hang tight. We'll be there."_

Stealthily, they approached the house, ready for anything, but there was no one around, apparently. Stefan and Jakob went in through the back door, while the others took the front. Two guards were on the sofa watching TV. They jumped up and ran to the group, until Elijah took their hearts out and threw them on the floor. He wiped his hands on the sofa cover and then picked up a blanket. "For Lindsey. We don't know what we'll find." Bonnie nodded, glancing at the two bodies, her face a little queasy.

Stefan and Jakob had already been upstairs, but couldn't find any place that seemed likely. "I don't see a basement, and there's not a storm shelter in the backyard, either," Jake said.

Damon looked around and started knocking on walls. "What are you looking for?" Bonnie asked.

"A safe room, Bon-Bon," Damon replied. " _I'm here, Lindsey. In the house. Where are you?"_

" _I don't know."_ Pain soaked her tone, fueling the rage Damon fought to contain.

"She's close. Dammit, but where?" " _Tell me. Scream sweetheart, and I'll be there."_

In a moment, four pairs of vamp ears heard a faint scream. Damon's head snapped toward the sound and he flashed to the source. In a paneling, he found a crevice with his fingertips. "Help me here," he said, and Jake and Stefan helped him widen the crack. The panel finally gave way, revealing a short hallway.

"Stay here, Bon-Bon," Damon whispered to Bonnie. "We don't know how much room we'll have." The four men moved silently down the hallway behind the wall. Bonnie went to the opening to watch, but stayed in the living room. Elijah took the blanket with him.

They reached a doorway and ringed around it. It looked extremely solid, but Elijah held up a finger and with one kick, had it open. What they saw when they opened the door made them freeze in horror. The vampire had Lindsey nude, suspended by her wrists from a metal bar, and had a spreader bar separating her ankles. He had electrified nipple clamps and genital clamps on her body, and tiny slivers of wood stuck into her skin at random spots. He applied the current and her body spasmed and she gasped. Then he ripped her skin with a short whip. Her back was a mass of healing, bloody welts. She screamed in agony. Incredibly, the vampire swiped a finger across the fresh incision, and tasted the blood. He smacked his lips.

When he saw another vampire taste his mate's blood, Damon completely lost his mind. In full vamp mode, he flashed to the vampire, took the hand wielding the whip, and he crushed every bone in it. He was roaring incoherently with rage.

Lindsey knew Damon was close, so she screamed, but it seemed like an hour until he got there. She was too far gone in pain to hear the door burst open, but his yelling was like the sweetest music she ever heard. He was here. Her husband. Her mate. Truly, her other half. Tears began to leak out of her eyes.

She was blindfolded so all she could do was hear the fight. She heard what sounded like Jakob - and Stefan, too? Bless them both. Then, a very gentle hand touched her shoulder. "Lindsey dear?"

"E-Elijah?" she rasped.

"Yes indeed. As much as it pains me to see you like this, if you allow me to leave you suspended for just a few moments, it will help me remove these slivers of wood. May I?"

"Yes. Thank you," she whispered, and steeled herself against the pain of Elijah pulling the splinters out. She lost count of how many he removed, but she never made a sound.

"Brave girl," he murmured. Then, he said, "Damon, Damon! Come here for a moment. Your prey isn't going anywhere, I assure you. Your wife needs you."

Damon came to Lindsey's side and Elijah gestured to the clamps. "I know you didn't want me touching her so intimately. The wooden slivers are out."

"Thank you, Elijah," he said, and he touched Lindsey's cheek. "I'm taking these clamps off. It's gonna hurt like a bitch when the blood comes back, though."

"O.K.," she said, hardly able to believe he was here, at last. Damon removed the clamps, but she never even whimpered. He then worked the locks on the spreader bar to free her ankles, and finally, released her wrists. She collapsed into his arms and he removed her blindfold, noticing just then her head and whole body were shaved bare. Elijah flashed over with the blanket and draped it gently over her body, tucking the ends in, his face unreadable.

Lindsey hid her face in Damon's chest, feeling she had to be in a dream. Damon hadn't really rescued her, had he? But she had looked into his beautiful eyes, his delicious scent enveloped her, and his arms were strong around her. It had to be real. It wasn't a dream. She could feel him and smell him.

Bonnie covered her mouth in shock as Damon brought Lindsey into the living room. Her eyes met Damon's and he said, "She's alive. Let's get her comfortable."

"Yeah," Bonnie answered.

Damon laid Lindsey's bruised body on the sofa. He kissed her gently and tried to get the metal collar from around her neck, but couldn't. He ran into the kitchen and found a pair of bolt cutters. A couple of snips, then, and the collar was gone. Lindsey was nearly unconscious with weakness, with the vervain still in her system, and only a few sips of blood for over 48 hours. Bonnie held her hand as Damon fished her daylight necklace from his pocket and fastened it around her neck. "Lindsey, I give you the gifts of life, light and spirit, and love," he said softly, needing to say the words. Then, he carefully slipped her rings on her left hand and kissed her again.

She sobbed weakly. "Your gifts I receive," she whispered. Damon held his hand out for a bag of blood, and fed her tenderly. He smoothed her forehead and said, "I'll be right back. Bonnie's here with you. Give her the other bag when she's ready for it. Thanks."

"Sure, Damon." She sat with her friend, trying not to hear what was going on in the room. Not that the vampire didn't deserve whatever Damon did to him, but Bonnie knew it would be ugly. Even with healing abilities, Lindsey's body was horribly marked. That vamp better be grateful he could only die the true death once, or Damon would kill him as many times as he could imagine ways for someone to die.

Damon went back into the room, where Stefan and Jakob, with Elijah's help, had stripped the vampire, and had him handcuffed and hooked him up to the electrodes by his genitals and nipples. They were applying the current with glee. Damon took his first good look at the man. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Lucius Crawford. You don't hear too good, do you? I told you if you ever screwed with me, you'd pay the price. So you touch my wife, my blood mate. And that's just downright stupid."

"That's for taking Cecily away from me!" he spat.

"Except I didn't _take_ Cecily anywhere. She left with me to get away from you!"

"So you say."

Damon's chuckle was pure evil and Stefan and Jake looked at each other. "I'd tell you to ask her yourself," Damon said, "only you won't be able to." He grabbed Lucius' face. "For the past two days, all I've thought about is what I'd do to the cocksucking fucktard who touched my Lindsey, but I didn't know it would be you. But aren't you the lucky one today? I just don't want to waste the time it would take to really make you pay for hurting her. So, my judgment is you die by fire. I'm setting the house on fire. And when you die, you die. Chained on the same rack where you chained her. And I'll put plenty of accelerant in here since I know how hard it is to burn a safe room. Stefan, Jake, if you'd do the honors…" he said, gesturing to the X rack. They chained Lucius to it happily.

Damon rummaged among the implements in the cabinet. This asshole had a whole BDSM shop in there, he thought. He found a huge metal butt plug. "And just what were you planning to do with this, you piece of shit?" he said, holding it up. The other two vampires' eyes widened when they saw it. "You're making this too easy," Damon said. "But you never were known for being a genius, were you?" With that, he shoved the implement into the vampire's anus, causing him to scream in agony, and eliciting a snicker from Damon. Then, he spied an inflatable ball gag in the cabinet and he took it and gave it a few experimental pumps. "Well, looky what I found!" he crowed. Jakob and Stefan exchanged glances. Damon had gone just a little psycho on them. OK- a lot psycho.

Damon went to Lucius with the gag, forced his mouth open and inserted the ball, inflating it to its maximum capacity. The vampire's cheeks were horribly distended and tears of pain were starting to leak from his eyes, but Damon just nodded. He then fiddled with the remote control on the clamps and set them to send charges randomly, and at different strengths, making sure he put an electrode on the base of the butt plug. He surveyed his handiwork and grinned in satisfaction. "It's not nearly enough to pay you back for what you've done to my mate, but it'll have to do. See you in hell, asswipe," Damon said as he left the room, Jakob and Stefan following.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elijah went to the den, scooped Lindsey into his arms and carried her to his vehicle. Bonnie followed him and he helped her across the fence. As they sat in the car, waiting on the others, Bonnie asked, "What do you think Damon will do to that vampire?"

Elijah shrugged. "He was talking about setting the house on fire. Being burned alive would be a suitable punishment, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I just can't believe anyone would be that stupid. I mean, he had to know he was a dead man if Damon found him."

"One would think," Elijah replied. "Damon's reputation does somewhat precede him." They waited for a little while and saw the three men hop the fence and they got into Elijah's vehicle. Damon lifted Lindsey gently so she reclined in his lap and he put his arms around her. The grim expression on his face faded to relief as he looked at his wife.

"Let's get out of here. That house is gonna go up any second," he said.

Elijah nodded, turned the SUV around and they went back to Ellijay.

When they arrived, Damon said, "Stefan, drive us back home. I'm sitting with Lindsey in the back. Jake, if you need to go, you can, or you're welcome to come back with us, you know. Elijah, thank you again, so much."

"I'm glad to be of assistance," the Original said. "If you need anything else, please call." He and Damon both knew he meant call him if he needed to compel Lindsey's memories away.

"Will do. Thank you."

"I need to get back to Fort Worth, but I'm glad I was here to help," Jakob said. "Elle will be having a fit to know how Lindsey's doing, so I'll be stopping in Austin on the way." As they transferred Lindsey to Damon's car, Jake leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Feel better soon. Glad we got you out." Lindsey managed a faint smile. Bonnie got into the front seat next to Stefan.

Damon said, "Let's stop at Wal-Mart and Bon-Bon, go in and get her some clothes, would you? And a scarf or bandanna to cover her head. And some kind of shoes. And underwear." He handed her a wad of bills.

"Of course, Damon," she answered. When they got to the store, she hopped out and was back in about twenty minutes with a couple of bags.

"Drive around to the back where they can't see us, how about it, brother?" Damon said.

"Sure." When Stefan reached a secluded corner of the parking lot, Bonnie handed Damon articles of clothing, having removed the tags and stickers. She watched Damon dress Lindsey as carefully as if she were a porcelain doll. He pulled the underwear over her legs, and then the soft yoga pants.

"Sweetheart, can you lift your arms for me, so I can get this shirt on you?" he asked softly. Lindsey nodded and Damon eased the tank top over her arms and head. Bonnie slipped a pair of flip-flops on Lindsey's feet. "Good. Now you're dressed," Damon said.

"Thank you," she rasped. "Thank you all."

"You're welcome, Lindsey," Bonnie said. "Oh, and this." She handed Damon what looked like a bandanna until he examined it a little more carefully. Bonnie smiled. "See? It's like a wig, with bangs in the front, and a fall in the back so you can't tell about her hair. I got it at the beauty supply place next door."

Damon took Bonnie's hand and kissed it. "Thank you," he said softly, and arranged the bandanna on Lindsey's head, then tied it neatly underneath the fall of hair in the back. He kissed her forehead. "Do you want more blood?"

She shook her head. "Chocolate milkshake?" she whispered.

Damon's grin was like the morning. "You got it, girlfriend. Stef, pull into that Dairy Queen across the highway. My woman needs some chocolate."

"Absolutely," he said with a smile. Bonnie felt the chocolate need too, and two milkshakes later, they were on the road home.

Lindsey finished her shake and dozed for a while. When she woke, she took Damon's wrist in her hands, but she was still too weak to drop her fangs.

"What is it, sweetheart?" he asked.

She pointed to his wrist and smiled. She was so depleted, but she needed to taste her mate's blood. He grinned in understanding, pierced his wrist and held it to her mouth. She drank for a few moments and then licked the wounds. "Better?" he asked.

"So much better," she answered. "So much." She went back to sleep.

* * *

Bonnie texted Caroline to let her know they were on their way, and she was standing on the porch, looking anxiously for them when they pulled into the drive. Damon helped Lindsey out of the back seat, then lifted her up into his arms again and carried her into the house. He took her upstairs to their bedroom and sat her gently on the bed.

"Do you want to sleep a little more?" he asked. She nodded. "Want your own jammies?"

"Please."

Damon went to the dresser and found Lindsey's favorite pajamas: knit capri pants with a matching T-shirt. They were lavender and had little cartoon cats on them. He helped her with the clothes and then turned back the comforter and she snuggled into bed. "I'm going downstairs. Close as a thought, babe."

Lindsey nodded and pulled him close for a kiss. "I love you, Damon," she said.

Damon peppered tiny kisses all over Lindsey's face. "Same here, sugar," he answered, and left her to sleep.

Stefan was filling Caroline in on all the details when Damon got downstairs. "I'm surprised you didn't just rip his head off," she said.

"It crossed my mind," he answered, as he poured a very tall glass of bourbon and collapsed on the worn out sofa that Lindsey wouldn't replace. "But I thought about it and decided that being chained up, with fire coming in on you was much better."

Stefan nodded. "I think so. Prolongs the agony a little." He had his own glass of bourbon and was sipping it.

"Yeah. That's what I thought," Damon answered.

Bonnie shook her head. "Under any other circumstances, I'd say you two were sadistic psychopaths, but I saw what Lindsey looked like when you brought her out of there. No, he deserved it."

Damon grinned at her. "Have a drink, Bon-Bon. We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for being willing to come."

"You're welcome, but Lindsey is my friend, too. I just can't believe he would do something as stupid as kidnapping your wife."

Damon shrugged. "Lucius always was one for crap like that. I mean, I'm not the poster child for impulse control, by any means, but he took it to a new level. Cecily despised him. I just helped her leave. We never were involved. She's a sweet person. Too good for that jackass."

"Who is now barbecuing," Stefan said, and he and Damon clinked their glasses and drank.

"How long will it take her hair to grow back?" Bonnie asked.

"A few days, maybe," Damon answered. "It shouldn't take too long."

"Wait - he shaved her _head_?" Caroline said with a squawk. Damon nodded. "Oh, my God! I don't even want to think about what else he might have done to her. I am officially thrilled you burned him."

Damon had to smile. Caroline was one of a kind. "I don't want to think about it, either. What I do know about is bad enough." He finished his bourbon. "I'm going back upstairs. Witchy-witch, fridge is open. Vamps, blood's in the cellar." He stood and stretched.

"Need me to bring some to you?" Stefan asked.

"Nah, but thanks. There's a mini fridge in our bedroom and a microwave in the nursery. Comes in handy."

"All right. Mind if we get into your DVD stash?"

"Knock yourselves out," Damon answered. "Lindsey has some pretty good stuff in there." He went to Bonnie, drew her into his arms and hugged her. Then, he kissed her forehead. "Thank you, my precious Bonnie Bennett," he said softly and made his way upstairs.

Caroline watched him go. She heard the bedroom door click shut and said, low, "I never thought I'd ever say this, and it sounds strange even now, considering he just burned someone alive - well sort of - but Damon really does have a beautiful soul. I guess it just took the right woman to bring it out."

Stefan smiled. "Lindsey has done for him what I thought no one ever could, that's for sure."

Bonnie nodded too, but said nothing. It wasn't her place to elaborate on how the blood bond had changed Damon. But when she did the locator spell with his blood and Lindsey's token, she could feel the depth of the love and devotion Damon had for his mate. It was pure, honest, raw - and very beautiful.

* * *

Damon slipped out of his shirt and jeans and snuggled into bed beside Lindsey. She stirred and turned over to bury her nose in his chest. He caressed her head, not wanting her to catch on how he missed the silky, fine brown strands. Her hair would grow back, though. "I'm grungy beyond words," she sighed.

"My poor baby. You want me to run you a bubble bath?"

"That sounds wonderful. I feel like I did after I went that first round with the adriamycin. At least I'm not puking my guts all over the place, though." She sighed and then her face turned fearful. "He's really dead, right? He's not coming back from the fire?"

Damon kissed her. "No way. But if he did, I'd just have Bon-Bon set him on fire again and finish the job."

He held her close and she said, "You smell so good. I knew I wasn't dreaming when you picked me up because I could smell you."

Damon rained kisses on her face and got up to fill the bathtub. When it was ready, he said, "Can you walk in there?"

"Yeah, I can make it," she said, and took his hand to get up from the bed. She shuffled into the bathroom and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. "Well, that looks disturbingly familiar," she said.

"Don't look. Your hair will be back in no time," Damon said, as he put his arm around her shoulders. She got to the tub and undressed. Damon was leaning against the doorway and she said, "Join me?"

He grinned. "I wasn't going to push, but since you asked…" He took his boxers off and stepped into the tub, then held his hand to Lindsey. She took it, sank into the warm water gratefully, and leaned her back against Damon's chest.

"I wondered if I'd ever have a hot bath again," she said. "The water in that hose he used was ice cold."

"He sprayed you with cold water?" Damon's voice was quiet, but Lindsey could feel his arms tighten around her.

"Yeah. Repeatedly. How long was I there?" she asked.

"Two full nights," he answered.

"Seemed like two years."

Damon nuzzled her neck. "It will never happen again. Elijah will put the word out. Anyone touches you and they die. Period. He likes you."

"I know. I like him, too. And God bless Jake. He's been such a good friend."

"Mmm-hmm," Damon agreed. He picked up a washcloth and bathed Lindsey's back. She hummed with the feeling, then stiffened against him. "What is it, sugar?" he murmured.

"I feel like I still smell like him. I can't get his smell out of my nose." She scrubbed at her skin. "Or the smell of those other men." She heard him growl and winced. She hadn't meant to tell him about that, now that Lucius was dead.

"Other men?" Damon said. "What did that piece of shit do to you?"

"I shouldn't have said anything. It's over now, and he's dead."

"How many?"

"Damon, sweetheart, please. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't know who they were. No names, nothing. I don't know. Please don't make me talk about it. Not yet."

He dropped his head to her neck. "Of course not. I'm sorry, babe. Only when you're ready." The smell of her blood called to him as it always did. But she wasn't up for blood sharing, yet, he felt.

Lindsey heard his quiet snuffling and she smiled. She knew he could smell her blood. So, she turned around in the tub to face him and she kissed him and put her arms around his waist. "Yes. Do it. I need you to. Please."

"Come on, Lindsey. You're not healed yet."

"And I won't be until we do this. We both need it, Damon."

His blue eyes met her brown ones and he saw desire in them. He nodded and dropped his head to her neck again, as she did the same to him. He bit and tasted her blood, and felt whole for the first time in days. When she bit him, and the blood sharing link was complete, it was even more intense than the very first time. Now, there was the underlying knowledge they had of each other, the previous sharings, the intensity of his gratitude she was all right, and her thankfulness he had found her. It was mind-blowing. They licked each other's wounds clean and Lindsey sighed into Damon's body. He finished bathing her and carried her back to bed.

* * *

Downstairs, Caroline's nose twitched. She could smell the blood, but something else, too. It wasn't the light musk of sex. No, it was more like - like warm honey or something. It was a heavy, warm, sweet smell. Bonnie was in the kitchen, so Caroline looked at Stefan, who shrugged. "I don't know, Care. Side effect of the blood bond?"

"Could be, I guess." She sighed. "They are _epic_." Stefan just laughed when she said that.

* * *

 **Well? Leave a review and show me some love! Just type it in the little box below to make my day happy!**


	13. Chapter 13: Connections

**A/N: So it's about about connecting and re-connecting in this chapter. Please read and review! I'd love to hear the thoughts of some who have followed/faved the story, but haven't left a review yet. So how about it? Just a couple of sentences would be great. Anyway, enjoy!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Connections**

The next morning, Lindsey woke up with Damon twined around her like a kudzu vine. He had both arms around her waist, his leg was over hers and he even had her head tucked under his chin. Clearly, no one was getting to her without him knowing about it. She smiled at him, feeling loved and protected, even as a touch of claustrophobia kicked in. She wriggled away, and he pulled her back.

"Damon, I know you're awake, so please let me get up. I need to go to the bathroom." Contrary to popular belief, vampires had about 99 percent of human body functions, and that included working kidneys. Still, he held her where she was. Lindsey didn't feel like having a wrestling match with him, so she reached down and pinched him sharply on his inner thigh. It was sensitive, and one of the only places where she could get enough skin to pinch.

"Ow!" he yelped, and loosened his grip. Lindsey got up and zipped to the bathroom.

When she came out, she said, "Honey, if you would just let me get up, I wouldn't need to pinch you."

"I didn't want to let you go."

"Obviously, she replied dryly.

"Anybody else up?" Damon asked, as he rolled on to his back when she got out of the bathroom.

"I don't think so. It's still pretty early. I intended to lie back down for a while, assuming you don't try to turn me into a pretzel again." She rubbed the top of her head. "I think I can feel some hair growing back in already."

"That's normal," Damon said.

Lindsey looked at him sharply. "You sound like you're speaking from experience," and then it dawned on her. "Augustines?" He nodded. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should have known."

Faster than Lindsey could think, Damon was up out of the bed, had her scooped into his arms and was back on the bed with her in his lap. She was looking at him like he lost his mind. "Don't you ever apologize for that. You could make the argument I deserved it, after some of the things I've done." He kissed her.

Lindsey took his face in her hands. "Don't you _ever_ say you deserved to get caught by those crazies. Period."

Damon nuzzled in her neck and up to her ear. "Lindsey, Lindsey. Do you know how I was going out of my mind, wondering where you were?" He pulled her close. "I don't mind telling you I was terrified I wouldn't find you before … well, before."

"I _knew_ you'd get there," she answered. "Although that note sure did make me feel a lot better. One of Bonnie's little mojo things? Well, bless her. What got me through, among other things, was thinking about what you'd do when you got hold of that pervert. I could take what he did as long as I thought, 'When Damon gets his hands on you, you're toast.' I had all kinds of things going through my head." She grinned at him.

"I hope I exceeded your expectations," he said.

"Oh, yeah. Am I bad to say I hope he died screaming?"

Damon's grin was wicked. "Well, unless he managed to uninflate that ball gag in his mouth, he wasn't making much noise at all. And no, you're not bad. Not a bit." The expression on Lindsey's face at that bit of information made him snicker. "You've got that bloodthirsty look."

"Yeah. I need to work on that."

"I think it's sexy," Damon said.

"You would. But I don't need to make a habit of it. It's not healthy."

"Have I said I love you this morning? I do." The master of deflection did it again, but she chose to ignore it.

"I love you, too, you big ol' badass, hot, sexy, hunk of a vampire, you," Lindsey said, as she hugged him close. She sighed in contentment. "You smell _so_ good." She buried her nose in his hair. "I envy you that thick hair. And your long, beautiful fingers."

Damon chuckled in her ear. "Yeah, but you can smoke a computer keyboard with your short fingers. You type faster than anyone I've ever seen, and you did before you turned. I can't even start to keep up with you." He kissed her again and she put her head on his shoulder. "How are you really feeling, baby?" he asked.

"Surprisingly good, all things considered," she said. "I still feel kind of like I should be looking over my shoulder or something, but being here with you will take care of that, I know."

"Only thing you'll see when you look over your shoulder is _me_ ," he answered.

Lindsey chuckled. "You can't keep me me in a box, sweetheart. I'll let you be overprotective and smothering for a while, but that has an expiration date, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," Damon grumbled.

Lindsey slid from Damon's lap on to her side of the bed and said, "I'm getting some more shut-eye."

"O.K." He kissed her and drew the comforter over her shoulders. He watched carefully until she was completely asleep. A niggling thought had been running through his mind, but he didn't want to say anything until he had more solid information.

* * *

Damon heard Stefan get up, so he slipped on a pair of jeans and padded softly into the hallway. Stefan was standing at the head of the stairs, stretching, and Damon went to him and gestured outside. He nodded. Damon grabbed a blood bag and warmed it, then got a bottle of Stefan's blood and met him on the porch. "Let's walk a ways," he said.

They went to the end of the driveway, where the newspaper box was. Damon retrieved the paper and said, "We may have a problem."

"What's up?" Stefan asked.

"Well, in all the furore to rescue Lindsey, did any one of us ask _how_ Lucius knew where to find her? Was it really a crime of opportunity?"

Stefan sipped the blood thoughtfully. "You think he was put up to it, or what?"

"He's had a grudge against me for a hundred years, but he would usually just threaten me once in a while and let it go. Why act on it now? I wish that had occurred to me yesterday, and I'd have gotten the answer out of him, but it didn't." Damon finished his blood and wiped his mouth.

"Who would do this?"

"Not sure, but I have an idea. Remember that one guy we never could directly connect to the research? He's the only one who didn't lose his job or place on the board of directors at Whitmore. I never felt like we took care of him sufficiently."

"Foley? That one?"

Damon nodded. "Him. We knew he was an Augustine, but never could pin anything directly on him. He was up to his ears in it, though. Get an idiot vampire like Lucius, promise him a lot of money - he'd go for it."

"Was Lucius in financial trouble?" Stefan asked.

"Always. He blew through money. Gambling, whores, and a drinking problem that makes me look like a five-year-old."

"Hmm. That makes some kind of sense."

"Yeah, it does. And that bothers me. It would have to be someone who's savvy enough to know how to tail someone without being noticed. Guess I need to check our cars to make sure nobody lo-jacked them and we didn't know it. Wouldn't be the first time they used a tracking chip."

"I'll check ours, too. Just in case," Stefan said.

"Good thinking." Damon's head snapped up towards the house. "Lindsey," he said, and was gone. He burst through the front door and was up the stairs in a moment. He opened the door to see her thrashing on the bed, obviously having a nightmare. He lay down next to her, closed his eyes and concentrated. He entered her dream, frightened by what he might see. It was even worse than he feared.

Lindsey was dreaming about being forced to service the men who were Lucius' friends. They didn't seem to have faces that Damon could see, and he knew this was because Lindsey hadn't gotten a good look at them. She was blindfolded. Six, he counted. Good thing he couldn't see their faces, or he would have hunted them down individually. Lucius had better be glad he died, too, or Damon would kill him all over again. He stepped out of the dream, finding himself in a cold sweat, and he shook Lindsey gently. "Come on sugar. Wake up. Wake up for me," he said softly, kissing her.

She came awake suddenly, and Damon folded her into his arms. "It was only a dream. You're all right, love. You're OK."

Lindsey shuddered with fear and revulsion left over from the dream and she inhaled Damon's scent deeply. Until she was turned, she had no idea how important scent could be, but now, her mate's unique fragrance calmed her, reassured her, more than anything else. She sighed into his chest. "I'm all right." Still, she could feel his worry and anxiety through the bond. She stroked his cheek and kissed him deeply. He drew back, a little surprised. She smiled at him. "You know how you always say I chase away your demons?" He nodded. "Then return the favor and chase away mine," she said, and pulled him close.

"Are you sure? It might be too soon for you," Damon murmured, as he nosed her neck.

"I'm sure, and it's been too long, already," she said, decidedly, raising his chin to look into his eyes.

His smirk sent heat through her body. "I'll just lock the door." He shed his jeans and was back on the bed in a moment. He raised up on his elbow and flicked the buttons of Lindsey's top open, then pushed it off her shoulders, watching her face the whole time, to make sure she really wanted this. She smiled at him and he slid her pajama bottoms and underwear off, then kissed her, half on top of her, one hand roaming her body, seeking her permission to touch her breast, her hip, her center. He brought his hand back to her chin, holding it in place as his lips and tongue caressed her mouth, and he kissed down the column of her neck, paying special attention to its hollow, where he knew she loved him to suck and tease.

Lindsey threaded her fingers through Damon's soft, thick hair and scratched his scalp. He could always be a tender lover, but this morning, he was so gentle, so intentionally attuned to her responses, she knew he was making sure she wanted this at every step. She would have welcomed his usual more aggressive lovemaking, but she also realized he needed to do it this way; it was his way of telling her what he wasn't yet able to verbalize. Through the bond, she could feel his desperate, aching "I love yous" and she sent thoughts of comfort and warmth back to him. He captured a nipple in his mouth and suckled so gently she wondered if this was what he was like before he was turned..

He stroked her center with feather-light touches, making her strain toward his hand. He returned to kiss her lips and she gladly opened her mouth for him. When he raised his head, she smiled at him, and reached to smooth the anxious wrinkle between his eyebrows. She pulled him back to her mouth and whispered, "It's all right, baby love. I need you," against his lips. With that reassurance, he slid easily into her body and she brought her hips to meet his, locking her hands to his shoulders, twining her legs with his, as they found their rhythm together, as unhurried as it was sweet, deep, satisfying. Necessary the blood sharing was yesterday, just to reconnect. Today, it seemed to knit their very souls together, as they fell headlong into it, and then into an exhausted bliss.

* * *

Bonnie was about to knock on their bedroom door when Caroline pulled her away and shook her head. She led Bonnie downstairs.

"What was that about, Care? I didn't hear anything suspicious."

Caroline tapped the side of her nose. "Don't have to. I can smell what's going on. But it's all right. This is their house, after all. I'll make some coffee. Who knows when those two will be out of bed? Could be after noon."

Stefan had been out for a run, just because he liked the area where the house was, and he came back inside. He went into the kitchen for some water, then looked around. "Damon and Lindsey not here yet?" he asked Caroline. "Damon was up early."

"They're not downstairs. They're awake."

Understanding dawned on Stefan as he sniffed the air. "Gotcha." He smiled and finished his water.

"Are you ever gonna let me get up?" Lindsey teased her husband. Damon's arm was around her waist and he again had a leg twined over hers, keeping her next to his body.

"Not unless it's a dire emergency," he said.

"I'm kind of hungry."

"Blood's in the fridge," Damon answered as he nuzzled in her neck.

"For people food. And besides, we do have some guests - guests who were very helpful in bringing me back home. It would be appropriate if we actually spent some time with them."

"It's depressing that you're right so often," he sighed and loosened his hold on her.

She kissed him. "Thank you, sweet python. I sure am glad I didn't give my wig away after I went into remission," she said as she dressed. She went into the bathroom and Damon could hear her rummaging in the closet. "Aha! I knew it was in here." More rummaging and she emerged, fluffing the bangs on her wig. "Now I feel more like myself."

"Would it hurt your feelings if I said you look more like yourself, too?" Damon said.

Lindsey snickered. "No. I never did like the bald look. My head's too big for it to look chic or gothy cool. I just look like a conehead."

Damon laughed out loud at that. "Well, you always said humor is what got you through your treatments."

"That and a lot of faith." She fluffed her hair again and looked over her shoulder at him. "And a healthy dose of good vampire nursing care." He grinned at that and she went to the bed and kissed him. "Get dressed, if you don't mind too terribly much." And with that, she went downstairs.

When she got in the kitchen, Bonnie was looking in the refrigerator. "Morning, y'all. Bonnie, while you're in there, look and see how many eggs I've got, would you please? And Caroline, thank you for starting a pot of coffee. I need a gallon." She poured herself a cup and turned around to see Caroline, Bonnie and Stefan all staring at her. "What? You've never seen a chemo wig before? Glad I didn't get rid of it when I turned. Who knew I'd need it? How many eggs, Bon?"

"Um, eight," she answered.

"Great. That's enough for French toast. Who wants some?"

"You sure you're feeling up to it?" Caroline asked.

Lindsey smiled at her. "Yes. Believe me, cooking is very therapeutic for me." She looked in the wooden box where she kept her bread - courtesy of Damon's woodworking hobby. "And plenty of bread, since Damon will eat six or seven pieces once he gets started. What a glutton." They watched as she bustled around the kitchen. When she had the bread soaking in the custard, she warmed a bag of blood and sipped it.

Damon finally came downstairs and sniffed the air. "French toast?" he said.

"Yep. And yes, there's enough for you to make a pig out of yourself if you want to. With bacon." Stefan's snicker was quiet, but Damon still glared at him.

As they ate, Bonnie saw how Damon subtly contrived to make sure he was touching Lindsey at all times, whether it was just touching his knee to hers, or resting his hand on her leg. The witch ate her breakfast and didn't comment on it, but it touched her heart.

"Now you know you all are welcome to stay as long as you want. If you need to get back to Virginia, I understand, but don't feel like you have to bug out if you want to stay a day or two," Lindsey said.

"It's always so peaceful here," Bonnie said. "It's good for the soul."

"I agree," Lindsey replied.

"Maybe we'll leave tomorrow," Stefan said. "That's Saturday, so traffic shouldn't be as bad."

"That's fine. Damon, why don't you take Stefan out to the shop and you can show him that table you've been working on?"

Thank the Lord, Stefan picked up on what his sister-in-law was doing. "Yeah, brother. I want to see it. Maybe you can do one for us."

"All right," Damon assented, but he didn't look happy. "Let's go have a look at it." The brothers went out to the shop and Lindsey sighed in relief.

"Finally. I know he hovers because he loves me, but I just need some girl talk!" Lindsey exclaimed. "And when he gets like this, he's worse than a sticky little green housefly! I can't tell him not to hover, because that would hurt him, but if I can _distract_ him, that'll work."

"How are you really doing, Lindsey?" Caroline asked.

"So-so. I had a nightmare this morning. But that's probably going to be the case for a little while. But girls, don't you say a word about this, because I don't know if it's occurred to Damon and Stefan, but I don't think this was a revenge abduction. I mean it was, but I think someone put Lucius up to it. How did he know where to find me, and when? There's a lot of planning that went into this business, and Damon has never mentioned Lucius as someone to look out for, ever. I think this had something to do with the Augustines. I think this was personal."

Bonnie and Caroline looked at each other. "Would you believe we had that conversation late last night?" Bonnie said. "So what do we do?"

"Looks like I'll need to put my reporter hat back on. I've got some ideas. And this time, the focus is much narrower. I just hate bringing it up to Damon. I can't be too specific, or he's apt to go hunting. And we all know he's just too likely to bite first and ask questions later. He's much, much better than he used to be - until you start talking about people he loves."

Caroline snickered at that. "I have to say, I know Jakob being here kept him from heading to Birmingham. He was talking about going hunting in some housing project."

Lindsey shook her head. "Probably has something to do with some of the foster children we've taken care of. A lot of them have sperm donors who are in gangs. And they never come back for their kids. Or they drag them into the lifestyle, too. Nothing would suit him better than to clean out some of those places. It's taken me a long time to get him around to the way of thinking that it's not his job to do that. His attitude is, 'I'm a top predator. They're scum. They deserve to die.' I know when I was working on the Augustine project and he disappeared for a while when we were in Birmingham and I was doing some records searches that he did some of that. He learned a lot of guerrilla tactics in the Civil War."

"They did guerrilla warfare in the Civil War? Seriously?" Caroline squeaked.

"Seriously. Plus, he's a vampire. And he's smart. There were a couple of days while we were there we saw on the news that bodies had turned up, drained of blood, but no one could figure out where the blood went. They were unmarked otherwise. Mostly. I know what he did in Mystic Falls was attributed to a wild animal. But apparently, he can kill clean when he wants to. He never acted like he had anything to do with it, but I know my husband. He was awfully smug when the stories hit."

Bonnie sipped her coffee. "Who did he get?"

"Only the three top gang members in the city. I mean, _the_ top dogs. Every one of them had a rap sheet a mile long, every one of them had been implicated in numerous murders, but they couldn't get enough evidence to bring them to trial. There was one - he had every bone in his body broken prior to his death. He was the number one suspect in a drive-by shooting where four children were killed."

Caroline nodded slowly. "Sounds like Damon saved the state the cost of a trial and keeping them on death row for who knows how long."

Lindsey chuckled grimly. "Would you believe he said the same thing about the alleged anonymous killer? You know how he is. Back last spring, we took care of this little baby. She was a meth baby - it was bad. Anyway, it was the third child by the same sperm donor we had fostered. And he wasn't taking care of any of them."

Bonnie grinned. "What did Damon do? I know he did something."

Lindsey nodded. "I told him not to, but he tracked down the baby daddy and compelled him to be impotent. He told him do-it-yourself projects were fine, but if he was with a woman, then no go. Instant birth control." After the hoots of laughter died down, she said, "He compelled the mother, too."

Bonnie's jaw dropped. "He compelled the mom? What did he tell her? How did he find her?"

"Oh, she was in jail for chemical endangerment of a child. He just visited her in jail and told her she wasn't having any more kids - she has four - and when she got out of jail, she wouldn't be interested in having more kids, only in taking care of the ones she has, and that she was going to get a job, stay off drugs, and raise the kids right." Lindsey chuckled at their expressions.

" _Damon_ did that? Mr. I Don't Care About Anything, Leave Me Out of It, Stone Cold Screw Humanity Vampire? _That_ Damon?" Caroline said.

"That's the one," Lindsey replied. "He didn't want to see those kids in the system."

"Well now I've heard everything. He really does have a heart. I mean, I knew he loves you more than anything, but he really does have a heart," Caroline said, still a little stunned.

Lindsey smiled at Caroline. "Of course he does. He always has. He's just built a cinder block wall around it, that's all. Because the heart inside that wall is very, very tender, and easily hurt. You have to be real careful with it."

"I'm starting to see that," Bonnie said. "How'd you break in, anyway?"

"I didn't. See, there's this tee-tiny little crevice about this wide," Lindsey held her thumb and forefinger just millimeters apart, "and somehow, a tiny sliver of love got through there, and it started to heal some of that damage Katherine - may she rot in hell - did. And you all wouldn't believe how much damage there was. Elena didn't even know the full extent. You take all the crap with Giuseppe, Katherine, losing his bond with Stefan, turning when he really didn't want to and no one to teach him how to survive the right way - and you've got one more messed up psyche."

Bonnie nodded slowly. "I don't think I ever really looked at it like that. It's always been too easy just to look at his screw-ups and judge him solely by that."

"I know. It's easy to do. And it's the human reaction. And I've always thought there was some battlefield PTSD in there, too, which is what made him more vulnerable to Katherine. Damon's not stupid, by any stretch. I have to think there was something else that made him more apt to fall for her line of crap," Lindsey said.

"Stefan said before he turned, Damon was kind of directionless and didn't really know what he wanted out of life," Caroline said.

"Like how many other 25-year-olds you know? If he had gone back to school, I suspect he would've found himself. He's nosy enough that he would have been a good reporter." Lindsey rolled her eyes at the thought.

"He said Katherine never compelled him. He would have realized when he turned, right?" Bonnie said.

"That's what he _says_ , but I've always wondered if he was, and he's just too ashamed to admit it," Lindsey answered.

"Wouldn't be out of character," Caroline mused.

* * *

Damon showed his brother the table he was working on in his shop. "It's not much. Just something to go behind the sofa."

"Yeah, but Caroline loves that armoire you did for us. She might want one of these, too."

"The boarding house has enough junk in it without adding more," Damon groused.

Stefan chuckled. "Well, true, but we can stay out here a while. I think Lindsey needs some girl talk and breathing room."

Damon sighed heavily. "I know. You're right."

"I'm _right_ about something? Wow. I'd better remember this day then," Stefan said with a grin. "Have to write it down."

"Oh, shut up. Back to what we were talking about earlier. I can see Lucius grabbing Lindsey to get back at me, and even abuse her, you know, to push my buttons. But to try to make her some kind of submissive sex slave? _My_ Lindsey? A submissive? Did he think that would work in any universe? She's a lot of things, but submissive isn't on the list." He gave a short laugh. "I mean, Elena had potential in that department, because she's such a people pleaser. Less so since she turned, but still... "

"You two have never experimented?" Stefan said, hardly believing that notion.

"Sure, but let me tell you: it's all negotiated to a fare-thee-well first. The first time was before she turned, and I tied her hands with scarves, but it took some fancy convincing, and she told me flat out that, if she said cut her loose, I was to do it right then, with no argument, or she'd kick me out of the bedroom. She's probably more willing now, just because she knows if I don't play nice, she can and will kick my ass. And I know it, too. Lucius was lucky she didn't get loose. You know she's got a mean streak, Stefan, and she would have killed him, taken her time about it and enjoyed it. She might have been consumed with guilt afterward, but she'd have done it. Not that she has to have control all the time, by any means, but submissive? _Lindsey_? Um, no."

Stefan grinned at that. "I've always said you needed a woman who wouldn't let you walk all over her. You didn't need a doormat. She wouldn't let you do that even in Nashville."

"Oh, no. I mean, she stayed the hell away from me for a while, and she told me she was scared to death of me, but she never let me intimidate her. Nope. She's threatened castration more than once. When we got to Birmingham and were in the mall after we escaped? I told you about that."

"No, I don't remember that you did. What happened?"

"Well, I told her I was going to pick out her clothes…" Damon's voice trailed off.

Stefan's quiet snicker turned into a belly laugh. "Oh, now I'd have given anything to see that! Took you down a peg or two, did she?"

"Oh yeah, she did. Let me know right quick she wasn't having any of that, period." He sighed. "Brother, I still don't know how I managed to end up with her. I mean, _me_. Of all people. She's just too, too good for me. And good _to_ me. She just loves on me like I deserve it. Oh God, Stefan. If Lucius had managed to… Well, if it hadn't all worked out like it did, I'd already decided I wasn't going to live without her." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "She's incredible, brother. Just a woman of rare intelligence - and beauty. I know a lot of men would say she's not beautiful, and I guess at the most basic level, they're right. But they don't know how she looks at me - how her eyes spark fire and how her face lights up for me." He gave a rueful chuckle. "I'm a lovesick idiot."

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, but it's a good look for you, brother. And I've always thought Lindsey was a beautiful woman. Maybe not conventionally, no, but she just has this air about her. You're right. She's a rare woman. But she suits you, Damon. You two just work. It's not something our kind finds very often, that's for sure."

Damon grinned as he took a piece of sandpaper and started to methodically work a table leg he turned on his lathe the previous week. His face lost all expression. "I'm glad Katherine's dead. I'm so glad. For any number of reasons, mostly including that she can't touch Lindsey."

"Is that why you were so close-mouthed about Lindsey?" Stefan asked.

"Partly. I didn't want that undead hellbitch getting anywhere close to her. Lindsey didn't deserve to have any of that misery."

"I surely wouldn't wish Katherine on anyone," his brother agreed.

Stefan watched Damon work the sandpaper over the table leg, and he waited. Something else was clawing at his brother and he knew he had to wait him out, just as before they were turned.

Damon ran his hand down the wood, feeling for imperfections, and reapplied the sandpaper. He glanced up at Stefan, sitting patiently, and said, "Love can't be compelled."

"That's true."

Damon examined the piece one more time. Clearly, what he wanted to say was difficult for him. But Stefan knew if he said anything, Damon would make a joke and clam up. So he watched silently as his brother changed the sandpaper to the finest grit and started working the wood again. "Love can't be compelled," he repeated. "But infatuation can be. Lust can be compelled, and even," here he looked down the length of the table leg, seeing if it ran straight and true, "the desire to turn. That can be compelled, too. You wouldn't think so, would you? But an old vampire, one who's been around a long time, one who's skilled in seduction and compulsion, can make a human crave blood, ignore morals." He put away the table leg and carefully rubbed a cloth on the tabletop itself.

"Katherine compelled me to _think_ I loved her," Stefan said.

"Yep. And she compelled me the same way. She compelled me to want to turn, hoping I'd die in the attempt and she'd have you all to herself. I thought I was the only one who was going to turn, and all along, she intended that you were the only one who would." Damon kept rubbing the cloth on the table, his face expressionless.

Stefan was shocked. Damon had never before admitted Katherine compelled him. He always said everything he did was what he wanted to do, that he loved her and she had never compelled him in any way. But Stefan realized now, that was just Damon's pride and intense pain talking.

"So, I'm glad she's dead. I lost too, too much to her. My humanity, my sense of decency - everything." He straightened up from the table. "It took 150 years, Katherine's death and the love of a woman like Lindsey to bring me back."

Stefan nodded slowly. "And I'll be forever grateful to her for it. I don't know how she did it, exactly, but I'm glad she did."

"Me too." He wiped his hands on a clean cloth and started back for the house. Damon needed to touch his mate. Stefan followed, pensive.

* * *

That night, as Damon and Lindsey lay in bed, with another round of sweet lovemaking behind them, Damon rubbed her back and smiled as she hummed in pleasure.

"I have a confession to make," he said.

"Now what?" Lindsey answered, teasing.

"I snooped on your computer the other night."

She turned to face him. "You did, huh? And what incriminating evidence did you find?"

"I saw your screensaver," he replied.

"Yeah. What else? You wouldn't be admitting you snooped unless you found something really interesting. So what is it?" Her tone was amused, so Damon knew he wasn't in trouble.

He cleared his throat. "I found a video of you singing karaoke. I'd never heard that song."

"You've heard me sing before."

"But not that song. Who sang it?"

"Larry Gatlin. It's from the same album as 'All the Gold in California.' That was the hit, but 'The Way I Did Before' has always been my favorite track. Ever since I was ten and got that album for Christmas."

Damon laughed at that. "A ten-year-old wants that album for Christmas, and that was your favorite song? What kind of kid were you anyway?"

"A weird one. I've told you that. I was twelve when I discovered the Beatles. I liked a couple of the teenybopper bands, but mostly, I liked the real music."

"So why did that song hit you so when you were ten?" Damon asked.

"I don't know. I just always loved the words and the emotion behind them. I was thrilled to see it on the karaoke list. I had to sing it. But it did seem especially appropriate just then. Did you look at the date?"

"I did. But I listened to it over and over, just so I could hear your voice."

"Bless you, sweetheart," Lindsey said, stroking his cheek.

Damon sighed. "I feel like a complete waste of space for not staying with you, or at least coming back sooner."

Lindsey put her forehead to his. "Nothing happens out of time. Don't you know you're the best thing that ever happened to me? I was just a shadow person until you came along. You brought me to life and loved me. You are the sweetest part of my existence. I'd be lost without you." She kissed him softly.

Damon gathered her to his chest and rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. "What did I do to deserve you, baby?" he asked.

"You loved me," came her answer. "You just loved me."

"Best decision I ever made," he whispered and they drifted to sleep.

* * *

Damon's murmuring woke Lindsey and she knew he was dreaming. She rarely entered his dreams, but wondered what had him restless. She concentrated and walked into his mind. Her eyes widened as she saw Damon in his Civil War uniform, standing next to a very human Stefan, talking to Elena - no, that had to be Katherine. Lindsey almost rushed at the image to choke her, but she stood back. The brothers had both just offered to be her escort at the Founder's Dance. Katherine said, "How will I ever choose?" and walked away, hips twitching, making her hoopskirt sway enticingly. That heifer. She was playing them against each other, even then. Lindsey looked down at herself and imagined a maroon gown, with a portrait neckline, edged in point lace, her hair - and a lot more of it - up in the style of the day, and she sashayed up to Damon, whose back was to her.

She tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Lieutenant Salvatore, I must take issue with you offering to escort someone besides me to the Founder's Dance. I am your wife, am I not?" He looked at her, wide-eyed, and she took his left hand where his wedding ring now rested. "Stefan, I think you can escort Miss Pierce to the dance. But do be careful, brother. She's a fast piece and I don't trust that sly baggage any farther than I can throw her."

Stefan grinned at her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for your care for me, but I'll do very well." He went off in Katherine's direction.

"'Sly baggage,' Mrs. Salvatore? My, but your tongue is sharp today," Damon teased as Lindsey tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.

"It always is, and you know it. So, how often do you dream about this scene, Damon?" she asked

"More than I want to. But maybe since you walked in and changed it, I won't as much." He stepped back and surveyed her dream self, then turned her so he could see her dress. "I approve, wife. A hoopskirt is becoming to you."

"Why thank you, Lieutenant. And you had your uniform professionally tailored, didn't you?"

He grinned. "It's what you did if you had the money."

"Even in 1864, you were a clothes horse. I shouldn't be surprised."

"Nope. But since you're here, let me show you around more. Veritas was a beautiful plantation."

"I don't imagine it looked quite like this in 1864, though."

"No. I suppose this is my idyllic memory of it. Just like you'd have been wearing faded calico by now, and not that very fetching maroon muslin." He spun her around again.

"Fetching, huh?" Lindsey snickered.

"Mmm-hmm. That's what I said. What made you decide to get inside my head, anyway?"

"You were mumbling and restless. I decided I needed to take a peek and see what was wrong. You don't know how tough it was not to just field tackle that image of Katherine and beat her to a bloody pulp, then stake her. She'd better hope she stays dead, or I'll finish the job once and for all, just for what she did to you and Stefan. Especially to you."

It was Damon's turn to snicker this time. "So you'd take on the undead hellbitch all by your lonesome?"

"Oh yeah. And I'd enjoy it." Lindsey shook her head, imagining what she would do to Katerina Petrova if she ever got her fangs on her.

"There's that bloodthirsty look again," Damon teased.

"Yeah," Lindsey said. The image faded out and they were in their bedroom.

Damon kissed his wife deeply. "You _would_ take her on solo, wouldn't you, crazy woman?"

"You'd better believe it. In fact, I almost - _almost_ \- wish she'd appear from hell, just so I could send her back again, and this time, there would be a mutilated corpse. I'd get Bonnie and her witch friends to dance around the body and set it on fire. I'd watch that bitch burn and feel like I'd done a good day's work."

The ferocity in his mate's voice made Damon laugh out loud. "Rawrr," he growled at her. "Xena, Warrior Vamp Princess," he said, using Jakob's nickname for her.

"Mess with my mate. See where it gets you," she said.

"I know seeing you like this gets _me_ all kinds of horny," he rasped in her ear and had her flipped on her back.

"No surprises there," she gasped, but pulled him close. "But since you're rarin' to go, no use wasting a perfectly good erection."

He grinned at her. Nobody could get Damon Salvatore turned on like this woman could. He filled her body with his again and she sighed at the feeling. More blood sharing and more delicious sex, and they were exhausted again. But Lindsey needed the connection. She needed her mate's body and his sustaining, delectable blood to heal her mind and her emotions. She fell asleep with his hands on her skin and his scent in her nose, giving her dreamless slumber.

* * *

 **Well? Show the lonely writer a little love and leave a review! :D**


	14. Chapter 14: Walk In Splintered Sunlight

**A/N: Thank you for all the follows, faves and reviews! Please keep them coming! This is a slightly shorter chapter, but it leads into something else interesting before we get to the all-important Augustines on Trial. Extra points if you know the origin of the chapter title! Enjoy! Review!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaires."_

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Walk Into Splintered Sunlight**

"There's a woman who lives nearly to Ashville," Bonnie said the next morning. "She's an elderly witch, and I spoke to her last night. She wants to talk to you and Damon. I just called her because Minda said I should, just to kind of pay my respects, you know, and she said she wanted to talk to you both." Lindsey was up early, cooking breakfast, since she knew their guests were driving back to Virginia that day.

"I'll be glad to go see her, but don't you all need to get on the road?" Lindsey answered.

"This shouldn't take long. Besides, Caroline and Stefan said they wouldn't really be ready to leave after lunch, so we have some time."

Lindsey glanced at Damon. He was eating his bacon and eggs and glowered at the idea. "So who is this woman, anyway? Why do I need to meet another witch?"

"Not like you had big plans for today," his wife said. "And I've found that when you can, it's always better to be nice to people. If she wants to meet us, it's no skin off our collective noses. What's her name, Bonnie?"

"Norene Peebles. Do you know her?"

Lindsey shook her head. "No, doesn't ring a bell. Of course, Ashville's in St. Clair County, so that's a little out of my local territory. How did she know about us, anyway?" At Bonnie's wry smile, Lindsey chuckled. "O.K. She's a witch. I get it. Old and powerful, right?"

"Yeah, from what Minda tells me."

Lindsey turned a sharp eye on Damon. "Which means you need to be on your very best, most respectful behavior. _Comprende_?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't piss off the old lady. Gotcha," he groused.

Lindsey narrowed her eyes at him. "I mean it, Damon. You were raised with excellent manners. You need to use them once in a while. I don't want to have to drag you home unconscious because she set your brain on fire or something, just because you had to run your mouth."

Damon sighed. "O.K. I heard you the first time. Be nice. Be charming. I've _got_ this."

Bonnie pressed her lips together, hiding a smile. It still tickled her to watch those two. She ate her eggs and said nothing.

* * *

When the three got to Norene's house, they let Bonnie knock on the door. A couple of minutes later, the door opened, and a woman even shorter than Bonnie stood there. Lindsey didn't think she was five feet tall.

"Ms. Peebles? I'm Bonnie Bennett," Bonnie introduced herself. "These are my friends, Damon and Lindsey Salvatore."

"Well, well. Thank you for coming to see an old woman. All of you, come on in," she answered. Lindsey grinned as she watched her. The lady reminded her of her great-grandmother, who had also been a tiny woman, with a knot of silver hair on her head. Mrs. Peebles was just the African-American version.

"Sit down, children," she said, as she led them into her front room. Although it was like a hundred front rooms Lindsey had seen in her lifetime, there was something in the air. She had to assume it was the magic in the house. Damon felt it, too, and it gave him extra incentive to mind his manners.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Norene," Bonnie said.

"And you too, little girl. Not often I meet a young witch with your kind of power. Use it wisely."

"Yes, Ma'am," she answered.

Ruby's gaze turned to Lindsey and Damon. "And then, there's you two. You didn't bring death with you, like most vampires. Although _you_ ," she said, pointing to Damon, "are no stranger to it. You've raised some Cain in your time. But you didn't bring it into my house."

"He's improved a lot, Miss Norene," Lindsey said.

"I can see that." She got up and went to Damon. She picked up his daylight thunderbird. "Hmm," she muttered, and then touched Lindsey's hummingbird. "These were your gifts to each other."

"Yes, Ma'am," Damon answered. "Bonnie spelled them for us."

"Obviously. And you said the gifting words over them." Damon nodded and the woman continued, "Because they bring light with them. And you two are blood bonded. I've heard of it, but never met anyone who was. Vampires aren't common around here. Never have been. But this is your native soil going way far back, child." She was speaking to Lindsey now.

"Yes, Ma'am. My people have been here since before the Civil War."

Norene turned back to Damon. "And where are you from?"

While she had been nothing but civil, something about this old witch scared the crap out of Damon. He wasn't about to antagonize her. "Virginia, Ma'am. Near Charlottesville."

Norene sat back down in her rocking chair. "At my age, curiosity is my privilege, which is why I wanted to see you two. You know you've been bonded, at least a little, since the first time you tasted her blood, Damon."

"I thought that might be the case, Miss Norene," he answered.

Lindsey could hear the apprehension in his tone, and could feel it through the bond. She sent comfort to him. She wasn't afraid of Norene Peebles, although she respected her deeply.

Norene rocked back and forth for a moment. "It's a strong bond. That's because it was forged in the blood of your innocence, Lindsey, given freely. The bond can be formed without virginity, of course, but when the vampire is the human's first and only love, well, when the human turns, the bond is much stronger, much more potent."

Bonnie listened, wide-eyed. She had no idea Lindsey was a virgin when she and Damon got together, or that Damon was the only man Lindsey had ever loved. Wow. Knowing his history, she understood now why he and Lindsey worked together so well.

"You know a lot about the blood bond process, Miss Norene," Lindsey said.

"Well, it's my business to know things. Bonnie, child, strengthen those wards around Lindsey's house before you go today. And Lindsey, here's something I'm sure you didn't know. You did know that the longer vampires hang around, the stronger they get." Lindsey nodded. "Well, what you didn't know is that you being bonded to Damon, because it was in the blood of your innocence, his strength becomes your strength, and your gifts become his gifts."

"So you mean, physically, I'm as strong as he is?" Lindsey said, mouth agape. That had never occurred to her, and she'd never really tested it. She assumed she was on the same plane as any other new vampire.

"That's exactly what I mean, child. And as fast, and you have the little extras that he's learned over the last decades. Have to learn to use them yes, but you've got them now. And as for you," and she pointed at Damon again. "You find it easier these days to behave yourself, don't you?"

"Um, yes Ma'am," Damon answered warily, making Lindsey want to giggle. She kept a poker face, however.

"That's because of your sweet wife, here. She's made the decision to help people, to stay out of the darkness, and that makes it easier for you to do the same. But beware, Lindsey. Don't let Damon's past darkness infect you. You've been through great darkness just recently, not of your own making. Great trouble. He was a wild animal, Damon. You did well to put him down. But there's more trouble to come. Mind yourself, Lindsey. Stay in the light."

"I will, Miss Norene. Thank you for the reminder."

"You're welcome. And now Bonnie, keep learning, keep growing, be wise and be thoughtful. And come back to see me next time you're down this way." She stood and the others stood, too.

"I surely will do that, Miss Norene. Thank you," Bonnie said.

"Miss Norene, if you ever need something, Damon and I will be glad to help you - groceries, a ride somewhere, whatever - just let us know," Lindsey said.

The woman grinned at her. "That's very kind of you, Lindsey. Your Mama and Daddy raised you right. I do pretty well, but it's nice to know there's someone I can call." She patted Lindsey's hand, which Lindsey knew was a big deal. Witches normally didn't like physical contact with vampires. They walked to the door and Norene took Damon's hand. "Now you listen to me, you good-looking devil. You behave yourself and you take good care of Miss Lindsey. I know why she fell so hard for you, but you know you married up, boy. You know that."

"Yes, Ma'am, believe me. I know," he stammered.

"All right then. She raised you up to her level. Don't you drag her down. You behave."

Damon nodded. "I will, Ma'am."

"Safe travels back to Virginia, then. Take care," she said and they got in Lindsey's car and left.

As they drove back, Bonnie said, "Miss Norene spooked you, Damon." Her tone was amused.

"Damn right she did. She's a scary old lady," he said. "No way in hell would I cross her."

"Sometimes you have more sense than I give you credit for," Bonnie snarked.

"Oh shut up, Miss Witchiepoo Judgypants."

Lindsey snorted with laughter. "I swear Damon, sometimes you sound like a precocious third grader when you come up with names like that."

"Who are we talking about here?" Bonnie snickered.

Damon turned in the passenger seat to give Bonnie a cold stare. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"O.K., kids. Keep it up and I'm gonna have to put you both in a corner when we get home," Lindsey said.

Bonnie just laughed, while Damon subsided in the seat.

* * *

"Wonder why Miss Norene told you that you needed to strengthen the magic wards around the house?" Lindsey mused as Bonnie finished chanting at the final ward point.

"I'm not sure. They were holding well. You know your property is right along a ley line, don't you?"

Lindsey looked at Bonnie. "I've heard the term, but I didn't know exactly what it meant."

The witch shrugged. "It means different things to different people, and different traditions. Basically, it's a line of power. Some say the power comes from the line of sight with the moon or sun at one of the solstices, but this is a line of power from somewhere else. I can't quite pinpoint it. I do know the wards are just outside the actual property line. The spirits said they didn't need to be on the property itself."

"What else did they tell you?" Lindsey wasn't exactly a believer in all the magical arts, but she was still curious about Bonnie's answer.

"That whatever power feeds the ley line tolerates your daylight token and Damon's, but not much else in the way of magic."

"That's weird," Lindsey said.

Bonnie chuckled as they walked back. "Lindsey, you know I love you to pieces, and I can even say I love that aggravating, reckless, arrogant vampire you married. But this whole place is weird. Good weird. Very good weird. Every time I walk through the front door, it's like a peaceful hand settles on my shoulder. Damon's said the same thing. So have Stefan and Caroline. There's something restorative about the atmosphere. Don't ever sell this place."

"I won't. I always thought the house was just filled with love, which is why it has, I guess what you'd call good vibes."

"That's part of it," Bonnie answered, "But there's more. I have a feeling this land and everything on it was intentionally consecrated a long time ago. Maybe by your ancestors when they bought the land."

"None of my people were supernaturals, as far as I know," Lindsey said.

"No, they weren't. Now, you do come from a long line of what I'd call sensitives, meaning you're especially empathic or tuned in to what's going on around you, which is probably how that bond formed with Damon. You know, when I touch him now, I can feel your presence woven into his aura, and vice versa. Did he tell you I used his blood and your necklace as my locator spell?"

Lindsey shook her head. "I knew you did one, but I don't know anything about how they're done."

"Well, your necklace was bonded to you, and you to each other, and when we did the spell, I held my hand over his as his blood dropped on to your necklace and then dripped on the map. I could feel his love for you." She smiled at her friend.

Lindsey returned the smile. "You could? What was it like?"

Bonnie sighed. "Elemental. It was this raw, beautiful tidal wave."

"Wow. That's kind of what loving him is like, though. Wonder how you were able to do the spell since you said the ley line power doesn't like magic?"

"Remember, I called Minda and talked to her. She's a very powerful, wise witch. She said it was because the magic I did was beneficial, and was to right a wrong. Keeping the balance, in other words."

"Is that so? That's interesting." Lindsey cocked her head to one side, reminiscent of one of Damon's mannerisms.

"I thought so, too."

Lindsey stopped walking for a minute. "Now Bonnie, I'm not psychic."

She chuckled. "No, I know you're not. But you're sensitive, which means you pick up on things around you, and you're extremely intuitive naturally, and you probably honed it over the years as a reporter. You don't like crowds, do you?"

"Not particularly, but I thought it was made worse by being a vampire - you know, the smells and noise and all."

"That probably doesn't help by any means, but I'm betting you've never liked being in a big crowd."

Lindsey thought that over. "As a rule, no."

Bonnie smiled. "It's because you pick up on the energy of the crowd. It's kind of like you're an antenna."

Damon had put a swing underneath the maple tree and Lindsey seated herself and motioned Bonnie to sit, too. "And you say it's in my family?"

"Absolutely. Mostly through your dad's side. I can feel it every time I see the pictures of your dad's people. That adds to the power of the ley line. They all lived here, and there's something very powerful about unbroken family lines."

Lindsey laughed ruefully. "Well, I'd say it's broken now, because I turned."

"No, not necessarily. You turned, but didn't give up your humanity." She shook her head, and an odd expression crossed her face.

"What is it, Bonnie?"

"It's good, but it's like, oh gosh, that bond again. When you and Damon married, and you put his ring on his finger, I get the sense that in that moment, you both opened your hearts completely to each other. It was like you gifted him a little piece of your humanity. It makes sense, considering what Norene said. I said it was weird, but good weird. But Damon's behavior when he first got back to Mystic Falls is clearer now. He was fighting that bond the whole time, so he had to be Evil Damon to do it. I don't think he realized it, but that's what it was."

"I still don't understand why he wanted Katherine out of the tomb. Well, I do know. He told me he was hanging on to a 100-year-old memory and feeling and didn't want to let go."

"Makes sense," Bonnie answered. She looked toward the house. "It took Caroline twenty minutes to pack to come down here, but it takes her two hours to pack to go back. I don't understand."

Lindsey laughed. "It's Caroline."

"Yeah, I know. That explains everything."

* * *

Finally, Caroline was ready to go and Lindsey and Damon were on the front steps, saying their goodbyes. Lindsey's eyes moistened when Damon hugged Stefan. "Thank you, brother. Thank you."

Stefan just smiled, nodded and then hugged Lindsey. "Sis, I'm so glad you're all right. Somebody has to keep Damon in line."

Lindsey grinned at him. "I'm working on it." She kissed his cheek. "Love you, sweet brother."

"Love you too," he said, looking once more like the kid from 1864.

"Caroline, thank you for coming, too," Lindsey said as she embraced the blonde.

"Of course! I'm so thrilled you're OK. Or will be. Oh, you know what I mean," she huffed and then squeaked when Damon gathered her into a hug.

"Thanks, Blondie," he said. "Keep Saint Stefan on the straight and narrow."

"Will do," she chuckled and got in the car.

Lindsey hugged Bonnie. "Words can't express how much I owe you, Bonnie. Thank you. That sounds so hollow, but thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Oh, you don't owe me anything. I'm so glad I was able to help. It's worth it to see you and Damon so happy. I do care about him, aggravating as he is."

"I know you do, and he cares about you," Lindsey replied.

"And _he's_ standing right here," Damon snarked.

"Oh you," Bonnie said, embracing him.

Damon held her close and kissed her hair. "Bon-Bon, you ever need anything, call me. If I can do it, it's done. _Anything_. Promise. Thank you. Thank you for finding my wife and my mate. Thank you." He picked her up and kissed her forehead, then held her close again, her toes dangling nearly a foot off the ground.

"Damon, put Bonnie down. She's a grown woman, not a doll," Lindsey said, shaking her head.

With one more careful squeeze, he set her on her feet. "She is a doll. She's Bonnie, Kick Ass Witch of the East."

Bonnie stood on tiptoe and kissed Damon's cheek. "You're welcome, Damon."

"Drive safely, guys. Send us a text when you get home," Lindsey said as Bonnie went down the steps.

"We will," Bonnie answered and also got in the car.

Damon and Lindsey waved as they left and walked inside, arm in arm. Damon collapsed on the sofa and pulled Lindsey into his lap. "Do we dare hope we're back to what passes for normal with two happy vampires?" he said.

"I hope so. You heard Miss Norene say there was bigger trouble coming, though. I don't think I want to know what it is."

"Me either. I've had enough for a while. How far are you from a court date with the Augustine stuff?"

"Six months, probably. Maybe that's what she meant. It's been trouble, that's for sure."

"I know that's right," Damon sighed. "Trouble ahead, trouble behind… what song is that from, Miss Vampire Jukebox?"

" _Casey Jones_ by the Grateful Dead," she answered and hummed the line for him.

"Figures. I knew you'd know it. So what's the trouble ahead?"

"Well, whatever it is, it can't get through the wards Bonnie put up. It's probably watching us right now, though," Lindsey sighed. It was from a distance, but Lindsey was right on both counts.

* * *

 **Well? Any guesses as to the trouble ahead? Let me know in your reviews!**


	15. Chapter 15: Bad Magic

**A/N: I hope this chapter surprises all you lovely readers. I've foreshadowed this since "Ordinary Loneliness"... Anyway, read, and please , please review! Thanks as always to all who have read and taken the time to send a review. I truly appreciate it. On with the show!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Bad Magic**

Lindsey looked at her shopping list and plucked a box of cereal off the shelf. Granola was one of her favorite snacks. It had been two weeks since her rescue, and Damon finally decided he could allow her to go to the grocery store in Oneonta without him by her side. But he was still sitting in the car in the parking lot, just in case. Her hair had grown back in, so she looked like nothing happened to her. She spoke to people she knew, cooed at the babies with their mothers, and generally looked like every other human in the store.

Suddenly, she scented something in the air. She paused, nostrils flaring. It was a little familiar, yet not. There was the definite feel of age, and even darkness. She smelled it again and peered at the soup can in her hand, to mask her analysis of her surroundings. Where had she smelled that before? Then, it came to her - it was Elena's scent - except it wasn't. There were subtle differences. It was less floral, more spice. Musk, even. A thought hit her and the skin on her back and neck prickled and crawled. "But she's dead," she said to herself.

Lindsey put the soup can in her small shopping cart and appeared to study her grocery list on her phone, but she was scanning the area. There - a dark-haired woman crossed the aisle, and then reversed and walked toward her. It was Elena, only it wasn't. How in the name of everything unholy had _Katherine Pierce_ come back from the dead? Damon and Bonnie both had assured her repeatedly that the Petrova vampire was gone for good. Lindsey suddenly felt rage crawling up her chest and into her throat and brain. She gripped the cart handle to keep from attacking the undead turbo-slut right there in the store. She mentally jerked the bond and felt Damon's surprise. " _Need you now. In the soup aisle,"_ she thought as hard as she could. Sending specific thoughts still wasn't easy.

" _I'm there,"_ she felt the response and looked at the beautiful brunette who regarded her with a smirking curiosity. Lindsey returned the stare, refusing to be cowed.

"Ooooohh. We are the brave one, aren't we?" Katherine said silkily.

"Preferable to being stupid," Lindsey snapped back. She figured since Katherine was here, she knew Damon was married, and to whom. So no introductions were necessary.

"Kitten has claws," Katherine purred. "I'm impressed."

"Good for you. I'm not afraid of you, Katerina Petrova."

Katherine raised her eyebrows. "Oh really? You should be. I could hurt you, baby vamp."

"Try it. Damon might not have killed you when he had the opportunity, but I can assure you, I have no such scruples. I'll stake you where you stand." Lindsey's tone was solid ice.

"And I'll have your heart out of your chest."

"Like I said, Petrova: try it," Lindsey growled.

As Katherine assessed the woman, she suddenly saw the same thing in Lindsey's eyes that Kol had. Lindsey's face hadn't changed, but suddenly the older vampire wished she hadn't been quite so public. "Where's your bodyguard?" she snarked.

"Right here," came Damon's light baritone, to Lindsey's intense relief.

When Lindsey called for him, he got into the store as quickly as he could without attracting undue attention. He arrived at the indicated aisle and nearly passed out when he saw who else stood there. But this was a time to protect his mate, although he could tell she was ready to slaughter Katherine right there. He heard Lindsey's challenge and then saw Katherine start just a bit as she looked into Lindsey's eyes, and he knew what she saw: her demise. He could feel his wife was in a cold, killing rage, and he prayed Katherine wouldn't do anything terribly stupid. "Kat," he said with as much disinterest as he could muster. "How the hell are you?" His hand on Lindsey's back was light, reassuring.

"Peachy, thank you for asking. Your lovely bride and I were just having a chat," she replied, her tone all seduction. It made Damon nauseated.

"Well then, to coin one of my lovely bride's favorite sayings, if you have a dime's worth of sense, you'll leave right now and never bother us again. I don't know how you got out of hell or wherever you were dragged off to, but you can go back right this second."

Katherine rolled her eyes and smirked. "Apparently, some people just don't stay dead. Especially not Petrova doppelgangers."

Lindsey narrowed her eyes and looked daggers at the vampire. "Come on Damon. We have shopping to do. I don't have time to deal with this." She pushed her cart past Katherine and Damon followed, smirking, leaving his ex fuming, but unwilling to create a scene in the grocery store.

"She'll be waiting for us in the parking lot," Lindsey said low, as they went through the checkout lane.

"Probably. Let me handle her," Damon replied. Lindsey's answer was a noncommittal grunt and he knew Katherine's time back on earth would be short if she threatened his mate. One of them would kill her.

Groceries stowed in the trunk, the expected voice piped up, "Well, aren't you two just all domestic and sweet? Does she have a leash to put through that ring in your nose, Damon?" Katherine patted his shoulder. "Nice little puppy," she said - and found herself against the back wall of the store. Damon parked in the shade at the edge of the lot, and Lindsey took advantage of the location. She grabbed Katherine, sped her to the back of the building and slammed her head into the wall. Damon was right behind them.

"You don't touch my husband, you undead bitch from hell. I don't want to kill, but I swear I will make an exception in your case, and if I do it, I guarantee this time, you'll stay dead, and will go on to the eternal punishment waiting for you," Lindsey hissed at Katherine, her full vamp face showing, her hand wrapped around the Petrova's throat.

Katherine struggled, but amazingly, couldn't break Lindsey's grasp. How the hell did a new vamp get that much strength? "You're not that old. How can you hold me?"

Damon laughed. "Blood bond. She got my strength when she turned. So fighting her is like fighting me. Except worse. She really wants you dead, Kat."

"What d-did I ever do to _you_?" Katherine spat at Lindsey, struggling to form the words.

"Nothing. It's what you did to all those innocent people in Mystic Falls. Mostly, it's what you did to Damon and Stefan. Especially Damon. Ever since he told me about you all those years ago, I've wanted your head."

Katherine coughed, still in disbelief that anyone could keep her immobilized. "You didn't know Damon then. He was a pathetic, weak excuse for a man. He was a wimp. Becoming a vampire was the best thing that ever happened to him."

Lindsey shook Katherine like a rag doll. "That's as may be, but you knew those boys died with your blood in their systems, and you were too damned self-involved to come back when things cooled off a little to help them learn to survive without wholesale killing. Even after the compulsion broke, Damon still loved you, for whatever unknown reason. So, because you didn't do right by the not one, but TWO vampires you sired, one turned into the Monterey Ripper and the other spent over a hundred years in misery, thinking you were in that tomb, waiting to get you out. _You're_ the pathetic one. Only sad, pathetic people play with lives like that. And Stefan? He's become my brother, too, and when I see the wreckage in his eyes that you caused, I get mad all over again." She flung Katherine against the metal garbage dumpster, heard the satisfying "crack" of bones breaking and watched the Petrova crumple to the ground. It would be a minute or two before even an old vampire could heal that kind of damage.

Damon wanted to howl with laughter, but went to stand over Katherine, his booted foot on her chest. "So tell me Kat, how did you get out of that other world, anyway?"

She coughed. "A kid in Mystic Falls I was messing around with found a witch who would do it. Took a while, though."

He snorted. "Apparently. So here's the deal. You've already found out that screwing around with my mate is a bad, bad idea. So you're better off spreading misery and chaos somewhere else. If you don't leave us alone, I'll be forced to call Elijah. Lindsey happens to be one of his favorite people, and he'll be more than happy to come in and insist you leave us alone - assuming he doesn't kill you, first. And that could happen."

Suddenly, Katherine grabbed Damon's ankle and pulled him sharply to the ground, and then she snapped his neck. "I do what I want to!" she screamed, but in her eagerness to bring him down, she lost sight of Lindsey, who sped behind her and who snapped her neck in turn. Katherine went down again and Lindsey immediately looked for her daylight token. When she saw the necklace with its large, oval stone, a close match to Damon's and Stefan's old rings, she made a gagging sound. As if gaudy twin rings weren't enough.

Knowing Katherine wasn't going anywhere for a little while, Lindsey went to the car and drove it around to where Damon lay. She thanked the Lord for vampire strength so she could get him into the backseat unassisted. Then, she grabbed her notepad and a pen, wrote a note and taped it to Katherine's wrist, then removed Katherine's daylight necklace, put it in her purse, picked Katherine up and threw her into the garbage dumpster. She would be safe from the daylight there, and it was also a supremely appropriate spot for her, Lindsey thought. A vampire with a daylight token would go to nearly any lengths to keep it - or retrieve it if it was stolen. That was leverage Lindsey could use.

Lindsey drove home, feeling extremely satisfied with herself. Katerina Petrova better be glad Damon would wake up with nothing worse than a sore neck, because Lindsey would have killed her right there in the parking lot, otherwise. She had _never_ wanted anyone dead so much - not even Lucius Crawford. It was out of character in some ways, but Lindsey felt justified when she thought about the numbers of lives that one person had ruined.

* * *

Damon woke with a start. His neck ached, not surprisingly. He looked around to see he was lying on their sofa, and Lindsey was in the recliner, reading. She looked up. "Hey. How do you feel?"

Damon sat up and rubbed his neck. "Sore and pissed as hell that I let her get the jump on me. What happened after that?"

"She was so focused on you, she didn't notice I was right behind her. She's now lying in the dumpster with a snapped neck, and if she wakes up before sunset, that's where she'll stay until dark." Lindsey held up the daylight necklace. "I left her a note with instructions on how to get it back," she said.

Damon laughed until tears ran down his face at the thought of the elegant, powdered and perfumed Katherine Pierce stuck in a smelly, hot, metal garbage dumpster until dark. "Oh, you're diabolical," he said.

She grinned. "Just borrowed one from your playbook, that's all."

"Is that so?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm. I remembered what you did to Lexi. And besides, don't you think a garbage bin is the perfect place for Katherine?"

Damon rolled his eyes and laughed again. "I am a terrible influence on you. But yes, I think you couldn't have picked a better place for her. What instructions did you leave for her about her necklace?" Stefan was going to laugh his ass off when Damon told him about this.

"Well, you and I are driving to New Orleans tonight, and I'm putting this little necklace into a storage locker at the airport. I'll leave the key at Guest Relations, and all she has to do is ask for it."

"That's a six-hour drive. Why New Orleans? Why not Atlanta?"

"Because Klaus and Elijah are in New Orleans. And they probably need to know she's back and stirring up trouble. In fact, they absolutely need to know. So, we'll call them on the way down and tell them where she'll be. I'm sure Klaus would be thrilled to have an airport reunion with her."

"You sneak. But she'll know they're involved because it's New Orleans."

Lindsey nodded. "True. But she has to get that necklace. She has no choice. She'll try to sneak in and out, and she may get by with it, but her best cover was them thinking she was in some other dimension. That's no longer the case."

Damon flexed his neck muscles and went to Lindsey and pulled her out of the recliner. "It's a mercy you use that brainpower for good and not evil."

She laughed as she stood. "Eventually, I'll rule the world, Pinky," she said.

Damon just shook his head. "Yeah, you probably will. Well, we'd better get going. I guess I'm driving."

"You guess correctly."

"Let's feed then go." Damon went into the kitchen and warmed up some blood, tossing Lindsey a bag and drinking one himself. While she was getting some clothes out of the dryer, he flashed upstairs and grabbed a couple of duffels, and was at the car, bags stowed in the back before she finished.

* * *

Katherine awakened to find herself in the dumpster. It smelled awful, not helped by the Alabama sun pouring in on it. It was spring and there was plenty of shade, so she could at least keep from burning, but she couldn't believe a newbie vampire had pulled one over on her like this. But she had been warned. The witch who brought her back told her Lindsey Salvatore was smart and resourceful. That witch was at the vampire conference, and like the rest, heard about the confrontation between Lindsey and George Neville.

But Katherine still wanted both brothers; it was as simple as that. She wanted them both. Her mind went back to an evening in autumn 1863 when Giuseppe was in Richmond for three days and she had the run of the place. She had compelled the brothers to service her, but not only that, to insist on servicing her at the same time. It was an unforgettable night, having both boys in her bed at once, with them burning for her - and for each other. By design, the compulsion broke with the dawn, and their revulsion at what they did had Damon vomiting in the chamber pot and Stefan sobbing like a child in his room. She ended up having to compel both to forget, because Stefan flinched at the sight of her and Damon threatened to decapitate her with his cavalry sabre if she so much as touched him. Only it didn't sound like a threat to Katherine. Damon really wasn't a wimp, and never had been; he was just gentle - before he turned, anyway. But she had still made him love her, or she thought she had, anyway. Even after the compulsion broke when he turned, and he remembered that night, he still wanted Katherine. And then that human reporter woman showed up. How did that happen, anyway?

Katherine sat against the hot metal of the dumpster and seethed. Then she read the instructions Lindsey left with her. Her daylight necklace would be at the New Orleans airport. Well, wasn't that seven kinds of delightful? Right in the middle of Original Central. And she knew the first thing Damon's chubby little wife would do is call Elijah. How could Damon possibly hook up with a woman like that? At least Elena was a carbon copy of Katherine's own beautiful face and body. But that- that Lindsey? Plain as an old shoe. Thin, mousy brown hair, thunder thighs and shoulders like a friggin' linebacker. But Damon looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Ugh. Sickening. Especially since he used to look at Katherine that way. It made her want to throw up.

As soon as darkness fell, Katherine climbed out of the dumpster and made her way to her car. She called the witch who brought her back. "How did Lindsey hold me? She's a new vampire! Even Damon's strength couldn't hold me long! But she did! Tell me what's going on!"

"Apparently, you lost a little on the other side," the witch answered. "And she has a lot of unseen friends."

Well that sucked. But, "How can Damon want that woman? She's nothing compared to me! _Nothing_!" Katherine ranted.

The woman laughed. "I told you, he's blood bonded with her. Blood mated. You can't break that. And if something happened to her, he would most likely commit suicide. Face it, Katherine, you've lost Damon Salvatore. I told you what would probably happen, but you wouldn't listen to me. If you hurt her, Damon will make certain you die the true death, and I guarantee Lindsey will butcher you if you touch Damon. And you won't come back from it, this time. No more reprieves, Katherine. You're out of friends here and in the next world, too."

"You're no help at all!" Katherine screamed.

"Sorry about that. I'd hoped that stint in the other world might have made you do some thinking, which is the only reason I agreed to get you out. But I won't do it again. But as I said, you're out of second chances, anyway." The witch hung up. Katherine was seething again. But she had to get to New Orleans and get her daylight necklace before sunrise.

* * *

"Elijah, it's Lindsey. How are you?" she asked the Original when he picked up his phone.

"Very well, and you?"

"Pretty good. I have some news for you. Not particularly good news, but you need to know it."

"Oh?" His tone was interested. "What is it?"

"Somehow, with the help of an obviously misguided witch, our most un-favorite vampire, Katherine Pierce, is back from the dead. She cornered me in the grocery store of all places!"

"Oh my. No one will be happy about that. But, forewarned is forearmed, they say."

"True. Especially when she'll be coming your way," and Lindsey described the rest of the morning. She heard Elijah's quiet snickering and it turned into a full-blown guffaw, which had Damon nearly running the car off the road at hearing Elijah make that kind of noise.

"Oh, dear Lindsey," he finally said. "You are a joy. An absolute delight. Wait until I tell Rebekah. She'll love it. But you must have dinner with us while you're in New Orleans. I'll reserve our upstairs room at Antoine's!"

"Elijah, that's so sweet of you, but we didn't come prepared, really. We are severely underdressed! I look like I've been working like a field hand and Damon's in jeans."

He chuckled. "Not to worry. Go to Marceline's on Rampart. Damon knows where it is." Lindsey looked at her husband and he nodded.

"All right then. I'll call you when we get to town."

"Fine. I'll make our reservations for eight o'clock."

When Lindsey ended the call, she looked to Damon. "Marceline's?"

"Yeah. She's a voodoo queen turned vampire. I fully expect her to freak you out, but she does carry great clothes, and always has something available on short notice."

"Were you two ever involved?" Lindsey asked.

"Oh, no. Never. She's one individual I've gone out of my way never to piss off. I'm not even sure whether she's a 'she.' That's how she refers to herself, but you'll see what I mean."

"Maybe she won't be there."

"She's always there," he said darkly.

They arrived at Marceline's, finally, after dropping the necklace off at the airport, and Damon took Lindsey's hand as they walked inside the brightly lit shop. The clothes were beautiful, Lindsey could see, but the whole place made her nervous - Damon, too, if his tense shoulders were any indication.

"Good evening," came a contralto voice from the side. Lindsey turned to see a tall African-American woman in the doorway leading to the back. She was dressed in black velvet and wore blood red lipstick. Lindsey did like the lipstick. "Damon Salvatore. Where've you been, _cher_? And this _enfant?_ …" Suddenly, the woman was in front of Lindsey, and had her chin tipped up with a long, blood-red fingernail. She swallowed, but looked Marceline in the eye. The woman's eyebrows went up and she glanced at Damon. "And where in the world did you find a child of the light who was willing to take on your darkness?" She glanced at Lindsey's rings, then Damon's. She took Damon's left hand and stroked it for a moment. Lindsey just stood, a little open-mouthed.

She grinned. " _Mon ami_ , what have you been up to?" She looked at his wedding ring, with its tungsten carbide center and platinum rims. "Darkness, held in place by purity." She turned to Lindsey. "And a sapphire. Clarity, creativity, intuition, hope and joy. My, my, but what you bring to each other." She gestured between them. "And what's this _enfants_? A blood bond? Haven't seen one of those in a hundred years, and _mon dieu_ , but it is strong! Tested in time and fire. But now, what can I do for you?"

Lindsey cleared her throat. "Yes Ma'am. We had an invitation to Antoine's tonight. It was unexpected and we -especially me - need something to wear, please."

Marceline smiled at Lindsey. "Good manners are rare as platinum these days - and twice as valuable. I have something for you, child. Right here." She took a dress off the rack. It was a black sheath, with layers of scalloped material. "Go try it on," she said, handing Lindsey the dress, and gesturing to a curtained area. Lindsey took the dress and heard Marceline say, "Damon, I know you have a closet full of suits. At least you're easy to fit. Here. Size 30/30, just like always. You can change in the back."

"Thanks Marceline. I appreciate it," he said.

Lindsey managed to get the dress on, thankful it had a side zipper. She looked in the mirror. The dress fit well and looked nice. Apparently, Marceline was good at her - his - whatever - job. She stepped shyly out of the dressing room, where Marceline was waiting on her.

"Let me look at you _cherie_. Mmmm-hmm. Just the effect I wanted. Now, put these on," and she handed Lindsey a strand of pearls. "And shoes." She gestured to a pair of black mid-heel pumps and Lindsey obediently stepped into them. "You've got some makeup with you?"

"Yes Ma'am. In my purse," Lindsey answered.

"All right then. You look lovely. But every woman looks lovely when Marceline dresses them! Here's that gorgeous husband of yours. Mercy, but that man can wear clothes. Doesn't matter what era. He looks good in everything."

Lindsey nodded in agreement. As usual, Damon defined the term "hot" in silver-gray slacks and coat, with a navy silk shirt. She shook her head. She frequently felt like the ugly duckling around her gorgeous mate. "Even in ripped jeans and a sweaty T-shirt."

Marceline raised her eyebrows. "Don't get me started, girlfriend. And Damon, _cher_. Don't you have a compliment for your lovely wife?"

"I was temporarily speechless," he said smoothly. "I love that dress. You look beautiful, as always. Good work, Marceline."

"Thank you," the woman answered. Damon handed her his credit card and she went to run the total. Lindsey didn't even want to know how much this was. But he never blinked.

"See you next time we're in town, Marceline," he said, as Lindsey started for the door, carrying her other clothes in a shopping bag.

"You'd better. And _mes enfants_ , take care of each other. I don't think I have to tell you that, but never hurts to be reminded." She patted Lindsey's cheek. "You have something precious and beautiful, which we know is all too uncommon in our world. Have a lovely meal at Antoine's. Eat some oysters Bienville for me," she said.

"Yes Ma'am," Lindsey replied. "Thank you for the lovely outfit. I'll enjoy wearing it."

"That's what clothes are for, _cherie_! Take care, now."

They got into the car and Lindsey reached for her makeup and hairbrush. As she applied it, Damon asked, "Do you like the dress?"

"I do. Don't you?"

"Looks great on you. How'd you like Marceline?"

Lindsey blotted her lipstick and looked at her husband. "She freaked me out. The whole store did. There are some serious vibes in that place. Makes me glad I'm not on her bad side." She brushed her hair, glad Damon decided to put the top up. "Did I tell you Bonnie said I come from a long line of sensitives? Not psychics - sensitives."

He chuckled. "Doesn't surprise me. Probably explains why you get so jumpy in places like this. If you're even sensitive, a place like New Orleans would mess with your head a little."

"A lot, you mean. How long have you known Marceline?"

Damon thought about it. "Almost as long as I've been turned. I've heard of her for even longer. We came to New Orleans in, oh, 1859 or 1860, when I was twenty or twenty-one. I remember seeing her shop then. It's always been right where it is now. Then she was a part-time ladies' fashion retailer, full time voodoo priestess. But the most fashionable women went to her. My aunt and uncle came with us on that trip, and my aunt actually had Marceline make up some dresses while we were here."

"Wow. So what was it like here in that time?" Lindsey asked.

He thought about it. "Hmmm. Wide open. A lot like it is now, really. You could find or do anything, but it all had this veneer of civility over it. The 'nice' people lived in the Garden District, or farther out. You came to the French Quarter to eat at Antoine's or another restaurant, to buy dresses in the daytime, if you were a lady, and to find female company at night, if you were a man," he said. "Tourism was a little different 150 years ago, but there were always people here from somewhere else."

Lindsey chuckled. "You just don't know how much my little reporter soul loves talking history with someone who lived it. Among the many things I love about you." He smirked at her in reply.

At the restaurant, Damon gave their names to the maitre'd and he nodded and conducted them upstairs to a lavishly decorated dining room, with a large table, set for dinner. Elijah, Klaus and a man Lindsey didn't recognize were already there.

Elijah stood with a broad smile and took Lindsey's hands in his and kissed both cheeks. "Good evening. You're looking beautiful. I'm so glad you and Damon were able to accept our invitation." He looked into her eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm OK. Dealing."

He nodded and gestured to the other man. "This is my brother Finn. Finn, this is Lindsey Salvatore."

Lindsey extended her hand to the Original and as their eyes met, she saw something there that made her want to hug him. He was a handsome man, with strong, angular features and brown hair. But his hazel eyes were sad. He was probably the best looking of the Mikaelson brothers, even more so than Kol. "It's nice to meet you, Finn," she said, smiling warmly at him.

"And you, Lindsey," he replied.

"How are you, Nick?" she asked Klaus. She preferred calling him "Nick," since she felt "Klaus" appealed to the darkness in him.

"I'm well. Glad to see you're recovered from your ordeal," he said.

"Thank you. And thanks to big brother over here," she answered, grinning at Elijah.

He returned the smile, and said, "Oh, I had help. Rebekah and Kol are supposed to join us, but who knows whether they'll put in an appearance or not. Rebekah, probably will. Kol?" He just shrugged. Lindsey hoped Kol didn't show. He irritated her. If any vampire needed a spanking, it was him. Nothing like giving a spoiled brat fangs and immortality. Their mother really should have known better before she started down that road, Lindsey thought.

Once they were seated, a server brought wine and menus. Lindsey looked over the fabled Antoine's selections and could feel her mouth watering. Blood might keep her alive, but it didn't have a thing on Pompano Ponchartrain, or _Crevettes remoulade_ , and especially not on _Meringue glacee sauce chocolat._ Not by a long shot. As she placed her order, she could see Damon smirking at her in her peripheral vision.

"No oysters?" he teased her. He knew she hated them.

"Not tonight, dear," she responded, unruffled. _Don't start_ , she sent through the bond, and got his best pseudo-repentant boyish grin. Stinker.

Rebekah arrived while the server was still taking orders, and she greeted the table and gave the server her order. "Lovely to see you again, Lindsey," she said.

"And you, Rebekah," Lindsey replied with a smile.

Rebekah sat across from Lindsey and Damon, and watched them closely. Although she met Lindsey in Atlanta, she had not had much opportunity to observe the two as a couple. Conversation flowed, but Rebekah noticed Lindsey didn't talk that much. She listened intently, though, and Rebekah could tell Damon's wife was filing away everything she heard. She knew Elijah was fond of Lindsey, which was a feat in itself, and Nick actually liked her - again, an achievement. But Finn seemed especially taken with her. And Lindsey seemed to like her older brother, too. Her smile was kind when it lighted on him, even though it was obvious she only had eyes for her admittedly gorgeous husband. Say what you would about Damon Salvatore - his looks put him in a class by himself.

Rebekah was normally deeply suspicious of everyone, human and vampire, but Lindsey seemed to be as authentic as anyone could be. She seemed genuinely interested in the story Finn was telling her and nodded in encouragement as he spoke. Except for Sage, most women seemed to be drawn to the more dangerous of the Mikaelson brothers, but Lindsey's warm interest in Finn made Rebekah incline to the woman. She was coming to the same conclusion that Elijah had: she never would have put the two together, but somehow, they worked. "So, Damon, when did you decide you were in love with Lindsey?" she asked.

Damon looked at his wife and chuckled. "Should I tell her?"

Lindsey grinned. "Go ahead. I don't care."

He cleared his throat. "It was when we were in Nashville, and I made one too many snarky comments, and Lindsey came upside my head with an iron skillet. Knocked me out cold. I woke up and went charging into the office, fully intending mayhem, but she looked me right in the eye and dared me to do whatever I had to do. _After_ she flipped me off. And just like that, looking at a human woman who'd stand up to me like that, with no fear, I was in love. I fought it like hell, but no getting around it." He grinned broadly and Lindsey winked at him as the whole table erupted into laughter.

Even Klaus was getting a kick out of it. "So you facing down scary vampires didn't start with George Neville," he said. "You started with Damon. That's priceless. Just…" his voice trailed off and he started laughing again.

Damon hugged Lindsey briefly and kissed the top of her head. "I told you she's one of a kind."

"Indeed she is," Elijah said, laughter still lighting his eyes.

Their food arrived and Finn, who sat on Lindsey's opposite side, said, "Did you really do that? Hit Damon, I mean."

Lindsey snickered and nodded. "I did it. By that point, I didn't really care what happened to me. I just knew I was sick of his smart mouth."

Finn shook his head slowly. "It does boggle the mind." His slow smile appeared and Lindsey wanted to hug him again. Something about him made her feel tremendous pity for him.

Over coffee, Elijah said, "Lindsey, I'm well versed in Damon's family history in Virginia, but I don't know much about yours. How did your family come to be in that part of Alabama?"

She finished her coffee and sat back in her chair. Damon recognized the signs of Lindsey the storyteller emerging. He wasn't sure he'd heard the whole thing, himself. "Well, the Ryans got to Blount County in 1815, coming in from Georgia," she said. "We've been here since the 1600s. My five times great grandfather bought the land where I live from a Creek Indian. His Creek name is in the land grant and deed, but I can't remember it right now. He paid well over the going rate for it, so the deal was a good one." Her voice took on a singsong feel. "The Creek's English name was Walks Far, but somehow, people around there got to calling him Uncle Jack. Everybody knew him. My ancestor bought 25 acres, and it's the same land, with the same borders. Grandfather promised Uncle Jack that he would never sell the land, and would raise his children and grandchildren there. He said he would plant crops and fruit trees, and that Uncle Jack and his descendants were always welcome to a portion of the yield."

Lindsey didn't realize her audience was deeply interested in her story; she was staring off into space, eyes half closed, recalling the tale. "All of this is in the deed. I have a copy at the house, and I took a look at it just a few days ago. Anyway, my family made good on the promise, and only Ryans have lived there since then. A big tornado in 1902 took out the original house, and the one on the land now was built about 1925, using some beams and timbers from the old house. I do remember my great-grandmother saying she met one of Uncle Jack's granddaughters, but the woman was very old. She said the granddaughter told her that Uncle Jack smoked sacred tobacco over the land, which fits in with something Bonnie told me. I know my family had a preacher come out and pray a blessing over it, and they prayed over it, too. Bonnie said it must have been consecrated early on, and it was. I moved into that house when I was 14. I've never regretted a minute spent there." She smiled at the group. "But I've rambled on enough. I just now looked at the clock. I'd like to be out of town before Katherine gets here. Are any of you planning on meeting her at the airport?"

Elijah smiled. "I think I may make that trip. I'd rather meet her on public, neutral ground like that. Not as much chance of an incident."

"You can have the pleasure, for my money," Lindsey said. "I never want to get within spitting distance of that - that - that evil, conniving _female_ again!"

"You'd rather be around Elena, then?" Rebekah said, just to see what would happen.

"Absolutely. Elena at least genuinely cared about Stefan and Damon both. She didn't intentionally play them against each other. She's not a bad person. Like the rest of us, she just made some bad choices." Lindsey shrugged.

Well that was unexpected. "So you don't hate Elena for being with Damon?" Rebekah probed.

"Why should I? She didn't ask to be thrown into the middle of all the supernatural stuff that went down in Mystic Falls. She didn't even know I existed until Damon came to Alabama to take care of me when I was sick. And even then, she had to pry it out of Stefan exactly where I was. And besides, Damon's my mate and my husband. She's not wearing his ring; I am." She refrained from mentioning she knew Rebekah was one of her husband's former conquests, too.

"All right then," Rebekah said, just a little irritated that Lindsey shut her down so efficiently.

"You'll have to excuse Bex," Nicklaus said. "Like me, she has no boundaries. Elijah and Finn have always been well behaved. Mother did a much better job with them."

"Shut up, Nick," Rebekah snapped at her brother.

Finn laughed quietly. "You can see why family dinners aren't common," he said. Lindsey just grinned at him. She stood and he did too, and took her hand. He kissed the back and said, "It's been a rare pleasure to meet you, Lindsey."

"And you too, Finn. Good to see all of you. Thank you for the invitation. It's been incredible to finally eat at Antoine's," she said gracefully. She knew Damon wasn't going to stand for being around Klaus too long, or Rebekah, either. She was just profoundly grateful Kol missed dinner. Until Rebekah started with the barbed comments, things had been very pleasant.

Damon draped a casual arm around Lindsey's shoulder and he felt her lean into his side. "Good night, all," he said. "I'm sure we'll see each other as the Whitmore case gets closer to the trial date."

"Indeed," Elijah answered. "Safe travels."

"Thanks," Damon answered and they left the room.

* * *

When they got to the car, Lindsey sighed. "The food was wonderful, but I don't want to have dinner with Rebekah again anytime soon."

"Me either. She's too godawful nosy. So you said you didn't want to stay in New Orleans. We're on the road. What do you want to do?" Damon asked, then said, "I've got an idea. How about Mobile? Just a couple of hours."

"It'll be after midnight when we get there. Where did you want to stay?"

"Oh, I've got a plan," he said smugly.

"What kind of plan?" she asked.

"Well, I thought, after all that - you know - that went down, you might want to get away. So, I packed you a suitcase and put it in the trunk. Want to spend a couple of days in Mobile?"

Lindsey grinned at her husband. "I might have known you had something up your sleeve."

"Just my big, strong arms, babe," he said and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She looked heavenward. "You are so lucky I love you so much, or I'd get that iron skillet after you about three times a week, at least."

He chuckled. "Oh, I know it, believe me. So how does the Fort Conde Inn sound? Our favorite kind of place - a bed and breakfast in a restored antebellum home."

"Sounds wonderful. Can you get a room this late?" Then she shook her head. "Why am I even asking?"

"I have no idea. But it's midweek in any case, so I know they have some rooms available. Find the number and call them, then hand me the phone."

"Yes, sir," Lindsey said and looked up the number, dialed and handed the phone to her husband.

He took it with a smirk. "Hello. Yes, we're driving in late. Do you have any openings? You do? What do you have?" Short pause, then, "Sounds perfect. Please book it through Sunday, for Damon Salvatore. We'll be there in about an hour or so. Yes, we'll come to the front desk. Thank you." He handed the phone to Lindsey. She could tell he had not used any compulsion. "See? Midweek."

"O.K.," she conceded. They continued driving into the night.

* * *

 **Well? Did the trouble come in the form you thought it would? Let me know! Just type a review in that little box!**


	16. Chapter 16: Leavin' Louisiana in the

**A/N: After the worst case of writer's block and real-life interference, EVER, I'm back! I hope someone still remembers this story! Now, I have to give credit where credit is due. Thank you, Rodney Crowell, for writing my favorite Oak Ridge Boys' song, "Leavin' Louisiana in the Broad Daylight," which gave me the title for this chapter. May you long continue to write brilliant music!**

 **If you've favorited or followed this story, thank you! Please leave a review, so I'll know you're still with me! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Lots of goodness here. Enjoy, dear readers!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Leavin' Louisiana in the Bright Moonlight**

The hotel was in a cul-de-sac and the porch light was on. Even in the dark, Lindsey could tell it was a beautiful structure. They got their luggage and went inside, where a woman waited on them. "Good evening," she said. "We have an upstairs room ready for you, Mr. Salvatore. It opens to the front verandah."

"Great. Here's my card," he said, giving the woman his plastic.

She ran it and handed it back to him. "Since you're coming in late, why don't I put you down for the 10 a.m. breakfast seating?" she said.

"That would be wonderful," Lindsey answered. "Thank you."

"Fine. Here's the menu. It's all available, but guests like to know what's on for the next day."

Lindsey took the card and thanked the woman, while Damon got the room key and their luggage, including a cooler with blood bags inside. Anytime they went more than an hour or so away from home, he packed blood, just in case. They went upstairs to the indicated room and Damon opened the door while Lindsey got the lights. She looked around and sighed happily. The room was beautiful. The floors were hardwood, with oriental rugs down, and dark cherry furniture. The walls were federal blue, with cream accents. "This is gorgeous," she said and kissed Damon. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's your turn to be pampered for a few days."

She grinned at him and looked at the breakfast menu. "Oh, Lord. This is incredible. Seafood benedict, with lump crab and gulf shrimp, bananas foster french toast, fresh fruit, beignets and cafe au lait. Heavenly."

"That does sound good," Damon said, as he shucked his coat and laid it on a chair.

Lindsey changed into her pajamas and sat on the bed. "This was a wonderful idea, sweetheart," she said.

"All my ideas are wonderful." The only reply he got was a raised eyebrow, and he grinned at her. "Need some blood?"

"Yeah, that would be good," she said.

Damon opened the cooler, handed her a bag and took one for himself, which he drained quickly. She cracked the seal and sipped the liquid as she checked her email on her phone. She looked up to see Damon staring at her intently. "What?" she said.

"Just you," he said, his voice low.

Lindsey finished the blood and put the empty bag back into the cooler. "What about me?"

"Everything." He flashed over to her and took her in his arms, but he didn't ravish her with kisses, as she half expected. No, he simply embraced her, her head on his shoulder, their bodies flush against each other, but his right hand caressed her back, while his left stroked her hair. Damon held her like she was precious crystal, his cheek against her hair. He murmured, "You're here. While you were gone, I dreamed about holding you. It was hell when I woke up. Tell me this isn't another dream."

"I'm here, baby. It's not a dream. You're wide awake and so am I."

He sighed deeply and continued rubbing his face against her hair, his hands lightly touching her, and he swayed back and forth just a little, as if to reassure himself Lindsey was corporeal and truly in his arms. His steady heartbeat sounded under her ear and she drifted her hands up and down his back, knowing he was responding to her touch. Over the past several days, Lindsey had made a conscious effort to actively use their bond, and she visualized the rope of energy wrapping around both of them, enveloping them in love. Damon sighed again and it turned into a low chuckle. "You always know just what I need," he said. "How do you do it?"

"I'm your wife," she answered and lifted her face to his. He barely brushed her lips with his and she brought one hand to his hair, relishing, as always, its soft, thick feel. "And you're way overdressed." Damon started to rip his shirt off, but Lindsey stayed his hands with a smile. "I want to take my time," she said. He smiled and dropped his hands, and Lindsey undid each button on his shirt, and he shrugged it off his shoulders. Lindsey smoothed her hands across his chest and dipped her head, and starting at his navel, licked up the center line of his torso all the way up to his neck. His body was so perfect and she loved being able to touch and kiss him. In 200 years, she would still think him the best looking man she'd ever seen.

Damon hummed in pleasure as Lindsey's tongue made its way up to the hollow of his neck. He was only about four or five inches taller, so she had easy access to her favorite parts of his neck and his jawline. He hardly had to duck his head to kiss her. Her hands were roaming his back, and then drifted down to his backside. She brought them around and undid his belt, then unzipped and unbuttoned his trousers and slid them off his hips. He kicked them away, already having shed shoes and socks. He ran his hands under her top and pulled it over her head, then kissed her lightly, until she caught his lip between her teeth and ran her tongue across it. He growled, picked her up and put her on the bed, where he joined her, crawling up her body, licking his own path to her neck. He paused and kissed, then licked the circular scar above her left breast, where her chemo port was. Since it was there before she turned, it didn't go away, although it did fade a little, much like Damon's bullet scar on his thigh.

"Why do you like that scar?" she asked.

"It brought me home," he answered, licking it again before taking her nipple in his mouth and suckling it, making Lindsey whimper with pleasure. He gave the other breast the same attention before moving to her neck and earlobes, kissing and nipping them. Every touch set her blood on fire and Lindsey held Damon close and tangled her fingers in his hair, never tiring of the way it felt under her hands. He, in turn, rubbed his face against her hair and mouthed her neck. At some point, his boxers disappeared and he hooked his thumbs into Lindsey's pajamas and underwear and had them off her, leaving them bare against each other. Once again, Lindsey nearly wept at the feeling of Damon's body next to hers, knowing he was hers, and his goal was to give her as much pleasure as he could. Even in their first days together, Damon was always a generous lover. Ego played a part then, but things had changed over the years. Damon had changed - for the better.

"You're the sexiest man I've ever seen, anywhere," Lindsey whispered to Damon, and she could feel his smirk against her skin, but it wasn't the conceited kind.

"And you have the most responsive body I've ever known. You just melt into my arms and come apart for me," he answered. "If every man had a woman who responds like you do..." Damon took her mouth again and Lindsey proved his point as she wrapped her arms around him and twined her legs with his. She didn't mind his weight on her. He was warmth and comfort and safety and love. He sank himself into her heat and she raised her hips to meet his. Every thrust was better than the last one.

At the feeling of Damon's body all along hers, his skin on her skin, Lindsey sighed deeply. She had always been so insecure until Damon found her. For whatever she might give him, he gave her so much more, in her opinion. She found confidence and strength in his love. This time, she must have been broadcasting, because Damon murmured in her ear, "I didn't make you strong, babe. You've always been tough as nails," and he ran his nose up her neck, "and soft as a mink coat." She giggled at that. But he wasn't exaggerating. His wife was as tough as they came, but when he took her into his arms, she was all yielding softness and heat and passion. She gave him everything she had.

Damon picked up the tempo of his movements, and Lindsey met each one, her whimpers spurring him on to make her climax. Lindsey clawed at his back, wanting him closer, desperate for every part of him to touch her. As her release neared, she opened her eyes to see his blue eyes change, his fangs emerge, knowing her face had changed too, and glorying in knowing he loved seeing her as predator and lover. She struck at his neck, sinking her teeth into his marble skin, and he climaxed inside her. Then, she felt his fangs hit home and his mouth move as he took her blood, while she tasted his, felt its warmth running down her throat, felt his desire, and she deliberately opened her whole self to their bond as she licked his skin clean.

Damon wasn't quite sure what happened, but as he cleaned the wounds on his mate's skin; it was as if they became one single being for a moment. He didn't know exactly how to respond to suddenly seeing through her eyes, which was the sensation he had. But for the first time, he saw their bond as she saw it - as the rope of light and energy that surrounded them, and truly felt her love for him as she felt it, in all its warmth and passion and sweet beauty. "Wow," he breathed, and seemed to smack back into his body. He was panting and sweating and looked at Lindsey's face. She was looking at him too, smiling. "What was that?" he said.

"I think it was us, you know, just sort of merging there for a minute," she answered.

He kissed her softly and put his forehead to hers. "That was freaking intense."

"Mmmm," she agreed.

"I always get to try something different with you," he chuckled. "Can't even have a quickie without you turning it into something incredible."

"It's hotel rooms. I feel like we haven't gotten our money's worth, otherwise," she teased.

"That has to be part of it," he laughed, then turned over, pulling her to his side. He found the comforter and pulled it over their tired bodies. He was completely exhausted. Felt like being human again. They were asleep almost before the covers hit their bodies.

* * *

Katherine opened the locker at the airport and snatched her necklace out. She put it on and saw the note inside. She drew it out and unfolded it. As she read it, she felt rage well up.

The note read: "Katherine, glad you got your necklace back. Now for once in your very long life, deal honorably. Your necklace was exactly where I promised you it would be. Now do the honorable thing and leave us alone. Damon doesn't want you. Stefan doesn't want you. You dodged Damon all those years, deliberately. Do it again. I promise you I'll never come looking for you as long as you stay away. But this is your only warning, Katerina Petrova: if you ever hurt Stefan again, and especially if you ever put your hands on my mate again, I will come looking for you, and no torture Klaus ever devised will match what I'll do to you. Just leave us alone and you'll never see me again."

"That bitch," Katherine breathed. "Who does she think she is, telling me to stay away from them?"

"I'd take her advice, if I were you, Katherine," came Elijah's cool voice from behind her.

She whirled. "Elijah. Been a long time."

"Oh, indeed it has. Much too long, in fact. And not nearly long enough."

"Awwww, you've always had a soft spot for me, Elijah," Katherine purred.

"It's a much smaller spot than it used to be, Katerina. I have very little patience left with you. Nicklaus is no longer interested in chasing you, thank God, and the Salvatores have no interest in you, either. You're free, Katerina. You can make a fresh start somewhere. Europe perhaps."

"Now why would I want to go to Europe, Elijah? My experiences there weren't exactly positive ones." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Times change. You're no longer a wanted woman. And Europe is not here. What you do over there is not my concern. But on this side of the Atlantic, you're a problem. And somehow, you invariably become _my_ problem. But, if Europe doesn't suit, try South America - Brazil perhaps, or Argentina. Anywhere not here, Katerina. Your antics are no longer amusing. They never were very much, but less so now. But, if you can't manage to leave the U.S., the one thing I absolutely insist on is that you leave the Salvatores strictly alone. They've suffered enough at your hands. I dislike compelling other vampires, but I will if I must. And Katerina, if I have to compel you concerning the Salvatores, including Lindsey, you will not enjoy what you're compelled to do, I assure you. Now do all of us a favor - yourself, most of all - and get on the next plane out of here." He turned and walked away.

Katherine was open-mouthed. Who did Elijah Mikaelson think he was, laying down the law to _her_? Some small voice of reason told her she would do well to follow Elijah's directive, but she was going to get some of her own back at that pudgy little smartass Damon married if it was the last thing she did. Damon Salvatore, married. The thought was laughable. Absurd. And to _that_ woman. He must have been drunk off his ass to agree to it. And all that nonsense about him being blood bonded to his wife. That would have meant he loved her before she turned. And Katherine well knew Damon was in love with _her_ until he met Elena. And for some time afterward. But she wasn't concerned if there was a blood bond. She was Katerina Petrova! Damon had risked everything for her once. He'd do it again, bond or no bond.

She stomped out of the airport and almost drained a parking valet who bumped into her accidentally, but knowing there were cameras in the parking lot too, she restrained herself and went to her car. She wondered if Damon and the little woman were still in town. She thought probably not. And there wasn't any way to get onto their property. A witch - probably Bonnie Bennett - had spelled it to a fare-thee-well. No one was getting past the property line without their consent. Getting back at them would take some doing, but she'd managed it before. Revenge came easily to Katerina Petrova.

* * *

Lindsey didn't often wake up before Damon. She had always been a night owl by choice, whereas when Damon was human, people were up with the chickens. Some habits never quite went away. This morning, though, she awakened first and looked at her husband's handsome face, so peaceful in sleep. She would always be envious of his long, dark eyelashes. Any woman would be. She never tired of looking at him, of learning every square millimeter of his face, and her best opportunities were when he was asleep.

She noted the light stubble on his chin, the sooty hair without a single silver strand - unlike her own hair. But as long as the hair color people stayed in business, the gray would be covered. Lindsey smiled at Damon's full lips - one trait he shared with Stefan - and saw the tiny round scars on his cheek from chicken pox. The scar on his upper arm was from a smallpox vaccine. His mother lost three grandparents from the disease and was determined that Stefan and Damon should receive the vaccine, even though it was considered risky. But Lindsey also knew Damon survived the smallpox outbreak that decimated his regiment during the Civil War, because Lily took the boys to Boston to have the vaccine there - much to Giuseppe's disgruntlement. The small crescent-shaped scar on his chin was from a fight when he was a teen. One of the Fell boys hit him and split the skin. And then there was the dimple on the right side that only appeared when he smiled. Damon's nose was just a shade large, but Lindsey thought it gave his face character. Something on that gorgeous face needed to be less than perfect, unlike his precisely chiseled chin and cheekbones. He and Stefan also shared bristly eyebrows they must have inherited from Giuseppe. But they looked good on men. Not that Damon needed any help looking any better, or needed anything else to draw the gaze to his eyes. From the couple of pictures she'd seen, and from walking in Damon's dreams, she knew he was a ravishing little boy who matured into a beautiful man. And he was _her_ husband! Lindsey couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.

"Are you staring at me this time?" Damon murmured, eyes still closed.

"I find your face endlessly fascinating," Lindsey answered and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"Creeper."

"I'm your wife. I'm entitled."

"Still a creeper," he teased and held her close. His exquisite eyes opened and Lindsey once more sighed at their ocean blue depths. His eyes roamed her face. "I like looking at your face, too." He brushed a gentle thumb against the small chicken pox scars at the corner of _her_ mouth, and ran his thumb across it, with its lovely shape and perfectly pink lips. Her chin was rounded, but determined, which could describe her whole face. And then, there were those coppery brown eyes, deep-set, but nonetheless penetrating in their gaze. Even now, when they were soft with love and affection, Damon could feel her eyes looking into his soul. He wasn't sure how she managed it. She had a few laugh lines at the corners of her eyes, but that was to be expected. Maybe there was something to Elijah's assertion that Lindsey's looks were a throwback to the Tudor-era ladies. Whatever it was, Damon liked it. He loved it when she gave him one of those smiles that showed her perfect teeth and lit her face from the inside. He kissed her, then rubbed his cheek against hers, once again so grateful he found her. She was everything he'd never known he needed in a woman until he met her.

"So what do you want to do today?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe get a massage."

Damon smirked at her, "Oh babe. I can relax you better than any massage can."

She smiled. "So true. Then how about we go to the art museum? They have the Golden Age of Couture exhibit now, and I missed it in Atlanta."

"You want to drag me to a fashion exhibition?"

"I can go alone. I'm a big girl."

His face darkened. No. She wasn't going anywhere in a big city without him. "Nuh-uuhhn. I told you I'm sticking to you like Super Glue. I meant it."

"Sweetheart, I'm all right. When are you going to stop shadowing me?" Lindsey stroked his hair.

"Fifty years, maybe. That ought to be long enough."

Lindsey pressed another kiss to his face. "Such a drama queen," she said, but she was smiling.

Damon abruptly rolled her to her back and took hold of her wrists. He hovered over her with that look that turned her insides to jelly. "You are my wife, and my mate," he growled. "No one hurts you. _Ever_. They die if they do." He nuzzled her neck. "And if it takes me fifty years for me to be comfortable with letting you out of my sight, so be it."

"Really, Damon," Lindsey breathed. "You do go a little overboard sometimes."

"This is not overboard. This is me keeping you safe." He ran his tongue up her throat. His voice had gentled to a purr. "Did you know that I can't even stand the thought of being with another woman? Me? The original vampire gigolo? Even with Elena, I could have had another girl on the side, for feeding and sex, but not now. The idea makes me nauseated."

"Is that so?" This was news to Lindsey. She figured skirt-chasing would always be part of Damon's personality, even if he never acted on it.

"Mmm-hmmm." He mouthed her earlobe and she could feel his hardness against her leg. "I can still appreciate a beautiful woman, but I only respond to you. That means," he said, his mouth still against her ear, his voice dropping into its black velvet baritone, "My cock doesn't even twitch unless I'm thinking about you. It just doesn't happen." He had loosed her wrists and his thumbs rubbed her nipples. He teased her ear with the tip of his tongue.

"It's twitching now," Lindsey said bravely, but she blushed to her hairline.

Damon grinned in delight. "I can still make you blush, you little Puritan." He purred into her neck, kissing her.

"Evil thing."

"Oh yeah. You wouldn't have me any other way."

"I'd say you were a pig, except that's an insult to pigs," she retorted.

"Ooooooh. I love it when you talk dirty," he teased, rubbing his arousal against her.

"That's your department."

"Mmmm. And you know you love it."

Lindsey did love it, but only from Damon. From anyone else, the porn talk would have been disgusting, but in Damon's baritone purr, it was the sweetest seduction. She squirmed underneath him as he told her exactly what she did to him, and what he was going to do to her. "Bet I could make you come just like this, just by telling you what I want to do to you," he whispered.

"Maybe so, but you'd better do more than talk. I insist," she said, as she wrapped her legs around his.

"And if I don't?" His tone was a playful challenge.

"You'll sleep in the office as long as I tell you to. Alone."

"Oooh. Harsh. Guess I'd better do something more than talk then, huh?"

"I would."

He smirked at her. "Sneaky, devious woman. How's this?" he said and thrust into her body.

Lindsey gasped and pulled his mouth to hers. "Much better," she mumbled.

"Thought so." He bit her neck, wishing the claim mark hadn't disappeared when she turned. He wanted the world to know this woman belonged solely to him. She'd never hold still for a tattoo, he knew, but he so wanted to mark her as his in some permanent way.

She could feel his possessiveness. "I _am_ yours, Damon. Always. And you're mine." She returned the bite and could feel him opening up, this time, so she saw them through his eyes. And she felt what Bonnie felt when she did the locator spell: Damon's love crashing into her like a tidal wave, raw and honest and fierce, overwhelming her, until she slammed back into her own body. She looked at him, eyes wide and not quite believing what she felt.

He was panting and had a grin on his face. "I'm learning that bond thing," he said.

"You sure are," she answered.

"I'll escort you to the fashion exhibition happily."

"You might even enjoy yourself," Lindsey teased.

"Maybe," he replied, but he knew he probably would. He actually liked women's fashion - probably because he loved women. He looked at his wife and saw the slightly goofy grin on her face. "What is it?

"Oh, decisions," she answered.

One eyebrow quirked. "What decisions?"

Her grin widened. "I never can decide whether to look into your eyes when you're talking to me, or watch your mouth. Both are captivating," she said, and was gratified to see a faint blush sweep across Damon's cheeks.

He covered her mouth with his and Lindsey put her hands in his hair, once again loving the feel of it, glossy and thick, like heavy satin through her fingers. Damon nuzzled in her hair, allowing its silky strands to fan out across the pillow. "I guess I can tell you now. I'm so glad your hair has grown back out. I missed it," he said, rubbing his cheek against it.

"I don't know why you're so fond of it. Not like there's much to speak of, even when it's completely grown back out," Lindsey answered.

"Because I like it," he replied. "It's soft, like the rest of your body." Until he had Lindsey, Damon mostly went after the willowy girls. Even Elena had a perfect figure and although curved in all the right places, her body - and the bodies of all those other women - never cradled Damon's body like Lindsey did. Even Glory, soft and welcoming as she was, had never fit Damon like his mate did. He knew some men would still say his wife was overweight, and she might have been, just a little, but every part of her seemed made just for him. Her intellect challenged his, even as her body yielded to him. She satisfied the man and the predator.

* * *

As Lindsey and Damon walked through the fashion exhibit, she stared in rapt fascination at the beautiful gowns and suits on display. Damon enjoyed watching her reactions as much as he liked looking at the clothes. For him, the exhibit was something of a trip down memory lane. He remembered most of these fashions when they were in style.

Lindsey tucked the exhibit book under her arm as they walked out of the museum. "That was so incredible! All those wonderful gowns! Just, wow."

"Which one was your favorite?" Damon asked.

"I don't think I could pick one," she answered.

"Yeah you can. C'mon. Which one?"

Lindsey thought and then said, "The ivory silk Balmain tea-length gown with all the embroidery. That dress just spoke to me."

Damon grinned. "Yeah, it was beautiful. Any others?"

"Mmmm. Maybe the Balenciaga taffeta gown in ruby? Gorgeous. But you could close your eyes and pick and not come up with a bad one."

"True." He was picturing Lindsey in the crimson silk taffeta gown. It was a pleasant thought.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I just thought it would be interesting to know which outfit, out of all the ones they had, appealed to you." He took her hand and tucked into the crook of his arm.

Lindsey eyed him suspiciously. "You're not planning on buying some hideously expensive designer wardrobe for me, are you? You know I won't wear it."

"Not even for me?" Damon slipped his arm around her shoulders. "If I told you we could go to the Met Ball in New York, would you wear a designer gown?"

Lindsey's eyes widened. "The Met Ball? As in the annual gala where all the A-listers hang out?"

Damon smirked at her. "That would be the one. And before you ask, no I'd never ask you to walk the red carpet. I know how allergic you are to that kind of thing. The theme is 'Looking Back: A Century of Couture.' Think you might be interested?"

"You know I would be!" Lindsey exclaimed. "How in the… No, don't tell me. I don't want to know how you could score an invite."

He laughed. "You know, once in a while, I manage to do things the accepted way. I actually know John Varvatos. Why do you think I wear his clothes? He told me years ago that if I ever wanted to go to the Met Ball, to let him know. So, I called him. He also said he'd make sure he found something wonderful for you to wear."

Lindsey's jaw dropped, then she shook her head. "I don't fit into any designer dresses. Well, my left arm might, but that's about it. Does he know about you?"

Damon shook his head. "Nope. He saw me somewhere and tried to talk me into modeling for him. I wouldn't do it, but we struck up a friendship and he sends me clothes."

"Well, I can't say you wouldn't be an incredible model, but that was nice of him to send clothes to you."

"I think he still thinks I'll model for him one of these days. He's an interesting guy."

"I'll bet," Lindsey answered. "Guys have it so easy with things like this. Wear a nice suit and you're good to go. Women have difficulties. It's not like just finding one nice outfit. It's a production."

Damon grinned at her and then grimaced as his phone vibrated. He looked at the number and answered it. "Bon-Bon! Perfect timing as always. What's up?"

"You left a message for me. What's up with you?" she answered.

"Oh, not much. Just recovering from a run-in with our most un-favorite, undead bitch from hell, that's all."

There was silence on the line. "What are you saying?"

"Oh, just that the dearly departed Katherine Pierce isn't so departed - or dear either, but that's not news. She showed up in Oneonta yesterday morning and cornered Lindsey in the grocery store, of all places."

"Well, that's kind of typical. What happened?"

"She ended up in the dumpster behind the store with a broken neck and a missing daylight necklace, courtesy of Lindsey, the Warrior Vamp Princess."

Lindsey rolled her eyes, but didn't miss the note of pride in her husband's voice, or the squeal of laughter on the other end of the line. She chuckled.

"Oh, that's great! Wait until I tell Caroline. So were you wondering how she was brought back, or what?"

"Yeah, kind of," Damon replied. "Although she said something about some kid in Mystic Falls hiring a witch on her behalf. But more, how safe is our house? Can she weasel past the wards you put up?"

"Hmm. I wouldn't think so. Those wards are tied directly to the ley line, which is obedient, for want of a better term, to the owner of the land. Only Lindsey or someone in her bloodline could invite Katherine - or any supernatural being - on that land. Even Klaus couldn't get there unless Lindsey OK'ed it first. But that would be the only way it could happen. I'll talk to some other witches I know, but I'm pretty sure as long as you're on that land, you're safe from her. I just can't imagine a witch who would be remotely interested in bringing her back. I didn't even know it could be done, considering the way she left to start with!" Bonnie was a little puzzled.

"Well, we left her necklace at the New Orleans Airport and I think Elijah was going to make sure he was there when she showed up to get it. I really, really hope he convinced her to knock it off. Don't know if that's even possible, but I know he was going to give it his best shot, anyway." Damon shot Lindsey a look as he spoke.

Lindsey could see Bonnie rolling her eyes - could almost hear it. "I wish him luck. I'd say she wouldn't be stupid enough to cross him and Klaus, but who are we talking about? Well, tell Lindsey to call me when she gets a chance. I want to hear all about how Katherine Pierce ended up in a garbage can!" She dissolved into giggles.

"It's a funny story," Damon said. "If you run across anything useful, let us know, would you?"

"Oh, of course! I'm really interested in who did it, too. That's very, very complex, powerful magic. Not something an inexperienced witch could do successfully. And that in itself might tell me something about how it was done - and maybe, how it can be reversed."

"Well, that would be the ideal solution," Damon answered. "We'll talk to you later." He ended the call and looked at Lindsey. "Did you get all that?"

She nodded. "I did. I'd kind of like to know who brought her back, myself. Wonder if she has any idea what she was doing, as far as consequences go?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Witches are supposed to be so concerned about the balance of nature and that kind of thing, but I have to wonder this time. I wish Bonnie could reverse it. Katherine does nothing but spread chaos and trouble wherever she goes. And she's got some kind of weird idea that if she keeps on coming after me, eventually, I'm going to go back to her. And that's NEVER gonna happen!" Damon exclaimed.

"She doesn't want to stop with you, either. She wants Stefan, too. She's just lucky I decided to let her live. I don't want to kill. But if she ever lays a manicured fingernail on you again…" Lindsey let the threat hang in the air.

Damon opened the car door for her with a grin and a flourish. "Your ride, my warrior angel," he said.

"Thank you, dear knight errant," she answered. They drove back to the B&B, just talking, but Lindsey was thinking of how to get rid of Katherine Pierce, once and for all.

* * *

So can I get a review? Please? :)


	17. Chapter 17: Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

**A/N: So yes, a chapter soon after the last one! I always thought Katherine got off way too easy on the show. Being dragged off by unseen forces wasn't nearly enough to compensate for what she put everyone through. So I'm taking care of that. :) Please do leave a review to let me know how you're liking the story, and thank you all again for the follows and faves. I truly appreciate it!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Ain't No Rest for the Wicked**

"Picked up my bag and went looking for a place to hide…" Lindsey sang as she cleaned the kitchen. Someone knocked on the door. She went to the window. It was a FedEx carrier. She didn't remember ordering anything, unless Damon bought something online. She answered the door and the carrier handed her a box. She thanked him and watched him walk down the steps and to his truck.

Lindsey looked at the box. It was addressed to her alone, with no return address, which immediately made her suspicious. Then, something odd hit her nose. It was faint, but smelled like some kind of … lighter fluid? She only caught a fleeting trace of it, but it was enough to make her run the box outside to the end of the driveway, and then speed back inside the house. She peeked through the window. The box sat still and silent, but as Lindsey watched, she thought she could see the box bulge and she dove behind the sofa. The windows rattled as the box exploded, but they were double paned and didn't even crack.

Lindsey ran to the window to see the area around the box on fire. Cursing, she ran for the garden hose and turned it on, just in time to see Damon come flying out of the woods. He'd been out for a ramble. "Are you all right?" he screamed.

"Fine!" she yelled back. "Get the shovel and try to beat it out!" She turned the hose on the blaze and Damon was back in a flash with the shovel, beating out the flames at the perimeter. They worked together and shortly had the fire extinguished.

Damon surveyed the burned patch of ground. "What the hell happened?"

Lindsey coughed and pushed her wet hair back from her face. "If I were a gambling woman, I'd say Katherine Pierce. This was an incendiary device - no projectiles. It had my name on it and it was meant to burn me, and probably catch the house on fire. I just happened to smell something like lighter fluid. I ran it outside and came back in and a minute or two later, it went up."

Her husband's eyes narrowed. "That..." and his voice trailed off. He looked around. "You'd better run, Kat!" he yelled. He knew she could hear him. She wouldn't miss the chance to see her plan succeed. "You'd better run hard and far away! You think running from Klaus was tough? You never had to run from me, you fucking whore! And when I get you, you'll fucking wish Klaus got you! You will bleed, you will burn and you will DIE! Keep looking over your shoulder, bitch, cause you're gonna see me in your rearview mirror!" A distant rustling in the woods was the only sound they heard in reply.

Damon caught Lindsey in his arms. "God, I'm so thankful you're all right! I heard that explosion, and I don't think I've ever moved faster. Ever."

She kissed him and smiled into his anxious face. "I'm just fine, honey. Let's go inside. I want to contact Bonnie and see if she's made any progress on this situation."

"And I'm calling Elijah. I swear. We've been back from Mobile a _week_! And she's already up to her old tricks. Why, oh WHY didn't I stake her when I had the chance? Then, I don't think anyone could have brought her back." Damon stomped up the steps into the house, growling all the way.

* * *

"Oh dear. I was afraid of this," Elijah said when Damon called him, ranting. "Katerina never could leave well enough alone. I told her I'd deal with her personally if she tried to harm either of you."

"Looks like you're gonna have to make good on that," Damon replied.

"Yes it does. Well, I doubt she'll show up in New Orleans anytime soon, and I'm betting she's not even in Alabama anymore. When something like this happens, she usually disappears for a while to regroup."

"And come up with even more chaos and mayhem."

"That too," Elijah agreed. "She does have a gift for it."

The men chatted for a few more moments, and Damon hung up, cursing Katerina Petrova's entire existence.

Lindsey, meanwhile, was talking to Bonnie, who was incensed, not surprisingly, and cussed a blue streak, much to Lindsey's amusement.

"Take it easy, girlfriend!" she exclaimed. "We're fine."

"But you might not have been because of her! I've been making phone calls and I think I've made a little progress, but I found out a few interesting things along the way. Maybe why Damon and Stefan never were able to kill her when they had a shot."

This was news. "Oh really? That's interesting!" Lindsey said.

"Yeah. I finally got around to going through all of the stuff Grams had in her office at the university. There were some really ancient grimoires in there, including one from some witch who apparently had a serious thing for vampires."

"Of the blue-eyed, devastatingly handsome variety?" Lindsey asked, chuckling.

Bonnie laughed too. "Surprisingly, no. This one dated back from maybe the mid-1700s. I mean OLD! I could hardly read some of it. The preservation spell weakened over time. Anyway, she said that a vampire always has some sort of connection to the vamp who sired him or her. Not a sire bond, but a connection. That would explain a lot about why they never could quite pull the trigger on Katherine, so to speak. But the good news is she also knew more about blood bonds than anyone I've ever heard of. She said a blood bond replaces the sire connection, so that's not in play with Damon, anymore, in case you were worried."

Lindsey sighed. "Well, that _is_ some good news. What else did you find out?"

"Well, like we knew, they're extremely rare. But when the bond is firmly in place, both vampires are more stable. They help each other. I think you've found that out. And I mean, it's a really spiritual thing when it's completed. It's literally like you become two halves of the same person. That explains what Damon said about when you were taken, and feeling a physical ache in his chest."

"Bless him. When I got back, I was way more worried about him than I was about myself."

"We were worried about him, too, let me tell you. But it's nice not to have to worry about what kind of crazy thing he's gonna do next these days. Caroline and I were talking about it. He's not the same man he was. He's changed for the better. Stefan is so happy now, too. He's got Caroline to keep him stable, and he's not constantly fretting about Damon. You've been so good for all of us!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Lindsey smiled at her words. "Well, I appreciate you saying that, but all Damon ever really needed was someone who loved him for himself, not for his looks, or what he could do for her - but just because he was Damon. Now he's not always easy to deal with, but he's easy to love."

Bonnie sighed. "That's the sweetest thing you could say about him. Remember to tell him that. I think he'd appreciate hearing it."

"I will. Definitely. So what else did you find out? Anything that could send her back?"

"Maybe. I still haven't tracked down the witch who brought her back, but I have some ideas who it might be. But a very old witch I spoke with said this might be easier to reverse than you'd think, just because it's restoring balance. Those spells are always easier. It's like everything works with you instead of against you."

"I'm glad to hear that much, anyway. You know how I feel about magic and so forth."

"I know, and if I were you, I'd feel the same way. But I'll find out how to get rid of her once and for all, I promise."

"That works for me. Thanks so much, Bonnie. You've been such a good friend to us, and we appreciate it. We really do. You know if there's ever anything we can do for you, all you have to do is ask."

The young witch nodded. It was much easier to make time for this kind of research when you knew your efforts were appreciated. "You're welcome, Lindsey. I'm glad I can help."

* * *

Katherine's initial efforts thwarted, she seemed to disappear. This, Damon said, was her usual modus operandi. Get caught, lay low for a while, plan her next move, and show up again. Still, with no sign of her for several weeks, Lindsey wondered if something else caught her attention, and Damon was off her radar - for the time being at least. She knew better than to think the old vampire would leave them alone, unless Elijah caught her, but he hadn't let them know he had her, so she knew Katherine wasn't in New Orleans.

Things really came to a head when Damon and Lindsey were fostering a crack-addicted newborn. The poor child had been dropped off at the hospital and the mother was in the wind.

Damon was on a blood run since, thankfully, they had a legal supplier now, and he didn't have to filch it from a blood bank or hospital, but Lindsey had to get formula. They were completely out. Even though she didn't want to go alone - not with Katherine still on the loose - she had it to do. All went well until Lindsey had the grocery bags in the car and was buckling Joshua (Lindsey named him since he didn't have another name) and his punkin seat into the car. She heard a sharp noise and instinctively threw herself over the baby. A horrible pain hit her left shoulder and she heard a car peel out of the parking lot. She looked up just in time to see Katherine behind the wheel. She looked back to her shoulder, to see the point of a stake sticking out, and then saw a scratch on Joshua's face where the point grazed his skin.

Rage washed over Lindsey. Gritting her teeth, she took a folded diaper and smacked the point of the stake back through her shoulder. The pain nearly made her pass out, but she shook her head to clear it and threw the stake to the floor of the car. She pressed the diaper against her shoulder until it healed and the bleeding stopped. As she got in the car, she was muttering. "Now she's done it. Coming after me is one thing. I can defend myself. But endangering the life of an innocent child? When I get through with her, not even being a vampire is gonna get her healed up. I hope Bonnie's been working on a way to get rid of that demonic whore once and for all."

Through the bond, Damon knew something was up with Lindsey, so he made his way home as quickly as he could. He saw her in the yard, baby monitor next to her, savagely stabbing the ground with the post-hole diggers in her newly-constructed rose bed. He saw the blood on her shirt, and the hole in it, and cursed.

She turned to see him coming across the yard. "She's done it this time!" she yelled. "That hellbitch can come after me, but by God in Heaven, she is NOT coming after my kids! Not my babies, she's not! See this hole? That's from a stake she fired at me! Scratched Joshua's face! If I hadn't reacted when I did… Damon, I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm taking $500,000 from the account and I'm putting a price on her head. I'm gonna put the word out on the vamp forums, and anyone who can bring me her dead body gets the money. If Bonnie can't find out how to send her back, I'm doing it the time-honored way. I will NOT allow that undead, God-cursed piece of helltrash to harm a child! Not while I can do anything about it! Do you hear me, Damon? Her reign of chaos stops NOW! _**NOW**_!"

Damon looked at Lindsey, wide-eyed. He was almost afraid to say anything. It enraged him too that Katherine would do anything to harm a child. But he had rarely seen Lindsey in such a state. She was barely rational. She stabbed the post-hole diggers in the ground with such force, they were almost completely buried. Her eyes burned with copper fire. He concentrated on sending love and reassurance through their bond and saw her relax a little. He held out his hands to her.

She went to him, took his hands and he drew her into his arms. She collapsed against his chest, sobbing. "We have to keep those babies safe," she said over and over. He made soothing noises as he stroked her hair.

"We will. No one's gonna hurt you or the babies. I swear to you that she won't get another chance to hurt anyone. I'm calling Bonnie, and she and her witchy buds can come down here, find her and get rid of that bitch once and for all. I won't take no for an answer. I don't care what they have to do to get it done." His voice was low and Lindsey gradually stopped crying. She hiccupped and Damon kissed her forehead softly, caressing her hair. "Go check on Joshua. I'll clean up out here. And change your shirt," he said with a grin.

Lindsey nodded and sniffed. "O.K. Thank you." She went upstairs, cleaned up and looked in on the baby, who slept peacefully, without a care in the world. Thank God for that. She went back downstairs, to hear Damon on the phone with Bonnie.

"That sounds good enough to me," he was saying. "You tell me what you need to do it, and I'll make sure you have it. Oh yeah, your friends will be fine, here. I mean, if they're that worried, they can stay in Birmingham. I guarantee no one will pay any attention to them there. I'll pay for the whole trip. But Katherine has to go. You wouldn't believe how pissed off Lindsey was. And I won't have her being upset like that." There was a pause. "No, I'll do what I can to keep her away, but you know how she is. If she's determined to see it through, she will. I'll try, but that's all I can promise. No, I agree with you. She doesn't need to see that. I know, but remember, Bon-Bon: Lindsey's not some kind of hothouse flower. You know she's tough." He glanced up to see Lindsey standing on the landing, and grinned. "And she may end up staking me before the day's over if I don't shut my big mouth."

"After the day I've had, I wouldn't take that off the table, Buster," she shot back.

He just winked at her and finished his conversation with Bonnie. When he clicked off the call, he went to sit on the sofa in the front room and when she followed him in, he held out his arms. "C'mere, you vamp warrior princess."

She sat on the sofa and Damon folded her into his arms, and reclined so she was against the back of the sofa, and her legs were pinned securely between his. "Now then. Nobody's gonna bother my baby." Sometimes, it bothered Lindsey when Damon held her so she had to struggle to escape, but this afternoon, she welcomed his dominant, protective actions. She did feel safe and secure with him holding her so close. She fell asleep in his arms, but he didn't even doze. He watched his wife and mate sleep while he listened for Joshua, or any noises that didn't belong.

* * *

Once again, all was quiet. Lindsey was reminded of the Kipling story: "When a snake misses its stroke, it never says anything or gives any sign of what it means to do next." Katherine was just like Nagaina, the female cobra in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." She was as cunning and as venomous as any reptile on earth, and she had slithered away in the grass to hide and wait for another opportunity. But Lindsey was determined she wouldn't get one.

Lindsey made good on part of her threat. She put it out on the vampire forums that she was looking for one Katherine Pierce, and if anyone gave her credible information about Katherine's whereabouts, there would be a nice reward. As a result, Katherine was back on the run, as surely as if Klaus were still on her trail. Trouble was, this time, she didn't know who was watching her, who was keeping tabs on her. But she knew Lindsey had to be behind it. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd clearly underestimated that fat bitch's abilities. She never thought Lindsey Salvatore would be so tenacious and determined to keep her running. Because Katherine believed Damon when he said he would end her after the mail bomb. She heard something in his voice she'd never heard before. Which meant she couldn't soon go back to Alabama. Someone would find her. And Klaus and Elijah had told her in no uncertain terms she wasn't welcome in New Orleans. But every time she turned around, someone was taking a picture of her and she knew they were emailing it to Lindsey and Damon. So she had to run again.

* * *

When Joshua was four weeks old, Dana came for him, to place him with his adoptive parents. Lindsey kept up a front as she handed the baby to the social worker. She kissed his precious face and said a silent prayer for him. It was getting tougher to release these children. Joshua's luminous brown eyes were solemn, although Lindsey had managed to coax a few grins from him. Damon was torn up, too. He'd taken to calling the baby "son."

They both knew Joshua was safer with his new family than he was with them - at least as long as Katherine was lurking around. Maybe they could think of adopting when Katherine was gone and the Augustines were put out of business. Maybe. Maybe something would happen so they could keep a child. Damon was ready, now. It took 153 years, but Lindsey strongly felt he could successfully raise a son or daughter. It was wishful thinking, she knew, as she stood on the upstairs porch, looking out at the woods behind the house. But where was your humanity if you couldn't dream the impossible?

* * *

Bonnie was coming in the next week. She and her coven were coming to stay for several days. Hopefully, they would find Katherine and get rid of her once and for all. Bonnie, Minda, and Alecia were staying at the house. The others would stay in Birmingham.

When Bonnie and her friends arrived at the white farmhouse, Minda said, "I see what you mean, Bonnie. This ley line is something else. You sure Lindsey didn't have the gift before she was turned?"

"No. But she was - and is - a sensitive. I think she's probably at least a little psychic, but she's really uncomfortable with that concept, so I've never pushed it. She admits to being intuitive, but flatly denies being psychic. You only met her for that short time, so you've never seen how she deals with other people, not really. I have to wonder."

"Hmmmm. Maybe she's an empath," Alecia said. "That's not psychic, but definitely a psi gift. Explains a lot about how she's so able to use the blood bond. I doubt it would work nearly as well with someone who didn't have at least a minor psi talent."

"I didn't think about her being an empath," Bonnie answered. "But that does make some sense. Especially considering how well she deals with Damon. She could see underneath the crazy, even before they were bonded. And I'm telling you, that wasn't an easy thing to do. Damon was the biggest asshole you ever met. But with Lindsey, he's well, very human. But you both met him in Atlanta."

Minda sighed. "Yeah. God, but he is one of the finest looking men I've ever seen - and I've seen a few. Everything about him just reads 'hot' - if you know what I mean."

Alecia and Bonnie laughed. "I know what you mean," Bonnie said, "and there was a time when I might have been able to fall for him. But something told me his heart was always somewhere else. And it was. It was with Lindsey. There she is, waiting for us." Bonnie pulled up to the house. Lindsey stood on the front steps.

"Hey ladies!" she called. "Come on in where it's cool! I've got sweet tea and lemonade. Come in and make yourselves at home!"

The women got out of the car and Lindsey greeted them warmly. When she hugged Bonnie, she said, "You need to get those brakes checked. They're squealing."

"Really? I didn't notice." Lindsey just grinned and tapped her ear. Bonnie chuckled. "Gotcha. Vamp ears. I'll do it before we leave. Where's the prince of darkness?"

Lindsey laughed out loud at that. "He was in the kitchen, waiting for me to leave so he could get an extra fried pie. I think he thinks I can't count. Minda. Alecia. So good to see you. I'm glad you decided to stay here. I hope you like it."

"I love the house, Lindsey. It looks just like a Southern farmhouse should," Alecia answered.

"Thank you. It's very dear to me."

"I can see why."

"Let's go inside. Too blasted hot to be standing here talking," Lindsey said, and opened the door for her guests.

As Bonnie had noticed, Minda and Alecia felt the peace infused into the house fall on them when they walked inside. The cool dimness was welcome, but the peace was like a physical presence. They looked at Lindsey.

"It's OK. That's just part of coming into the house," Lindsey said with a smile. "But come on into the front room. Along with the cold drinks, I've got fried pies, peach and apple, and old fashioned tea cakes, like my great-grandmother used to make. Sit down, please."

Damon appeared in the doorway. "Well, if it isn't my favorite little Witchiepoo." He hugged Bonnie. "Your prince of darkness has arrived."

"I might have known you'd hear that. You remember Minda and Alecia."

He turned to them. "Of course. So glad to have you here." He planted a kiss on each of their hands, and both looked like they were going to pass out. Damon was absolutely oozing charm and affability. And Lindsey was certain no woman with a pulse could resist him. He hardly needed compulsion where women were concerned.

* * *

The next morning, Lindsey was up early, but Bonnie was already awake. She had several pieces of what looked like vellum or parchment spread across the kitchen table, with candles lit at the corners. Lindsey fixed a cup of coffee and approached the table. She had fed from their blood supply upstairs. She tried not to feed in front of anyone not a vampire, even if they knew what was going on.

"What's all this?" she asked.

Bonnie spread her hands above the parchment and moved them in a circular motion three times. Then, she looked at Lindsey. "Can I get a drop of blood?"

Her expression was a little startled, but she said, "Sure." She nicked her thumb on a fang and held it over the paper where Bonnie indicated. The drop fell on the paper and Bonnie started chanting. There was writing on the paper, but it made as little sense to Lindsey as Bonnie's words. She just stood, watching and listening. The blood seemed to cover the paper and Bonnie's chanting switched to English.

"Come to the place of restoration. Restore the balance. Come to the place of restoration. Restore the balance. Come to the place of restoration. Restore the balance." Her hands hovered over the table again and suddenly, the paper caught fire and burned completely, leaving the table unscathed. Lindsey stayed silent, but wide-eyed, until Bonnie extinguished the candles.

"Can I ask what all that was about?" she said.

Bonnie grinned. "It was kind of an attraction spell - meant to compel Katherine to come back here. I expect her within the next day or so."

Lindsey swallowed. "Powerful."

"Very. But nothing else could bring her here. That reward you posted for information about her has kept her on the road."

"Good," Lindsey answered. "The last thing I want is for her to be comfortable."

"She's not, I can guarantee. I need Damon to put up some kind of shelter outside the property lines. That'll be the place of restoration."

"Where Katherine will hopefully meet her final end."

"Yeah. But I want you to know: this doesn't have to be some kind of gruesome thing. If she'll go peacefully, then it will just be a transition. But if she won't, which is what I suspect, then it's going to be ugly. Probably uglier than you think." Bonnie shrugged.

"So what happens?"

"If this goes like I think it probably will, then her true death will be excruciating. But remember," she said as she saw Lindsey wince, "she chose this. She could have lived better, but she didn't. This is her choice. But she does not belong on this side, and if she's going to continue to attempt to destroy others, then the balance has to be restored."

"Did you ever find the witch who brought her back?"

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah. She was evicted from her coven for seven years. What she did was a pretty serious breach of the laws of magic. And she was well old enough to know better. Not like she was a stupid teenage kid testing her limits." Lindsey knew Bonnie referred to herself and the mistakes she made as a baby witch.

"I guess that's fitting, but far be it from me to comment on how witches handle their business. Not gonna get into _that_ gumption trap," Lindsey answered with a chuckle. She retrieved breakfast items from the fridge and then turned to the stove.

Minda and Alecia came down shortly after, and both seemed to know exactly what transpired in the kitchen earlier. They nodded their approval. Damon appeared about the time Lindsey got the French toast in the pan. She knew he needed a little extra blood with three witches in the house. Lindsey, fortunately, had no experience with it, but Damon had told her that witch blood was particularly delicious. So he filled up before he went downstairs.

"Good morning, Witchiepoo and witchy buds," he said before going to Lindsey and kissing her cheek. "And most especially, good morning to you. Mmmm. French toast. Delicious."

"Good morning hon. Glad you think it sounds good. Have a seat and I'll get it ready. Coffee's on."

Damon poured a cup and seated himself. Alecia watched him and unconsciously licked her lips. This morning, he wore a bright blue T-shirt and faded jeans that fit him like a second skin. She breathed out carefully, but looked over to see Damon watching her like a cat appraising a bird. He raised his eyebrows, then clicked a wink at her that sent heat racing through her body.

"Damon, I don't know what you're doing, but stop pestering Alecia," Lindsey said. Her back might have been turned, but she could hear the witch's heartbeat speed up and heard her breathing change. Not that she blamed the auburn-haired witch. Damon made her heart beat faster, too. But he needed to behave himself, even though she knew he wasn't interested.

" _You know I'm not,"_ the whisper came into her mind, along with an image of him doing something very naughty to her.

" _Stop it, you blue-eyed demon,"_ she returned the mental whisper and felt his laughter along the bond.

The witches, of course, could hear nothing of the exchange, but the air was charged and Damon fixed Lindsey with a smoldering look. She handed Damon a plate. "Eat before you get into serious trouble." The witches hid grins. Well, Bonnie didn't. She smiled broadly at Damon, who just rolled his eyes and started eating.

Bonnie told Damon about needing some kind of shelter, even a crude one.

"I've got plenty of wood in the shop that's not good for anything else. I was gonna use it for firewood this winter, but I can use some of it for this building thing. How big are we taking?"

"Ten by ten should be plenty. I don't even necessarily need walls. I can put black cloth on supports. But it has to have some kind of floor and a roof. The spell works at noon, but it has to be dark inside."

Damon nodded in understanding, while the hair on the back of Lindsey's neck prickled. She rubbed her neck absently and Minda noticed.

"This makes you very uncomfortable, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, Bonnie knows I love her and respect her gifts, and all your gifts, but it does make me uneasy," Lindsey answered with an apologetic tone in her voice.

"I understand," Minda answered. "For someone as sensitive as you are, I can see where it could make you a little antsy. And I think Alecia was right. You're an empath. And a pretty strong one. You easily pick up on emotions. Have you always been able to do that?"

Lindsey shrugged. "I don't know. I've always been able to relate to people on a certain level, I guess."

"Even when we were in Nashville, she could take one look at me and know what was going on inside my head," Damon said, a note of pride in his voice. He knew his wife was special, even though she always said she was just an ordinary person.

" _I AM,"_ was her rather sharp thought, but he just smiled at her.

Breakfast over, Lindsey shooed everyone out of the kitchen while she cleaned up. She knew the ladies had things to discuss, and Damon needed to be in on it. She didn't need to be there, so she'd let them talk things over elsewhere. They scouted a suitable place for the shed and Damon returned to his shop to start building.

* * *

Lindsey was on pins and needles, wondering where Katherine could be, and how she would show up. Damon told her to stop worrying, but she couldn't help it. This was like having death row in your backyard. She wanted Katherine gone, but she had a problem with how it had to happen. Still and all, Bonnie was right. The balance had to be restored.

Damon didn't go to bed that night. He prowled the woods, waiting for Katherine to show up. Toward morning, he heard Bonnie's coven enter the woods, and they started some kind of meditation chant. He made himself scarce, knowing this was one ritual they didn't want others to see.

Bonnie went into the shelter and prepared the space. She'd been specific about the place she needed and Damon delivered. Everything was consumable by fire. If Katherine chose the hard way, the whole place would need to burn to ashes. Cheap black cloth formed the walls and was glued to the supports, since nails or staples wouldn't burn.

The morning wore on, with Bonnie staying in the space until Katherine showed. Her coven members were also in the woods, meditating. Finally, she heard a commotion and Damon's voice. "So nice of you to join us," she heard him say, then the fabric parted and a vervain-soaked net containing a spluttering Katherine Pierce landed inside.

Bonnie stared at her for a moment. "All right then. Let's begin," she said.

* * *

Lindsey approached the restoration space. She could hear cursing and screaming from inside, so she knew they had Katherine in there. She wasn't sure she wanted to see what was about to happen, but she squared her shoulders and went inside. Katherine was sitting in a chair, wrapped in vervain ropes, with some kind of imprisonment spell surrounding her. Damon stood across the room, arms crossed, his face hard as marble. Bonnie held a musty grimoire and stood inside a circle with candles lit at the compass points. The feeling of magic was heavy in the air, and it made Lindsey's skin crawl.

"I send thee back to whence thou camest!" Bonnie chanted, "I restore the balance!"

Katherine screamed, "No! I won't go! You can't send me back there!" But the chanting continued.

Nothing happened, and finally, Bonnie turned to see Lindsey. "You're here. Good. Tell her why she has to go back. We've got to dissolve all earthly ties holding her here."

Lindsey nodded and stood in front of Katherine, whose eyes blazed with hatred. "Damon doesn't love you. He doesn't want you. Neither does Stefan. You have nothing holding you here. Go in peace, Katherine."

The air seemed to shift with her words, but Katherine screamed, "No! What does he see in you? You don't have a tenth of my beauty! You're just a fat cow! You don't have anything to attract a man like that!"

Damon started forward, but Bonnie pushed him back. "Lindsey can handle this," she said, low.

Damon watched as his wife looked squarely at the struggling vampire, and her mouth quirked in a grin. "I'll be honest with you, Katherine. I don't know what he sees in me, either. I don't know why he decided to love me. You're right. You're beautiful. You have that long, tumbling hair, a beautiful figure, a beautiful face, sexy voice - the whole nine yards. By all sense, he should be chasing you like nobody's business. But he's not. He decided to give his love to me, just as I stand, with my thin hair, love handles, my big butt, my broad shoulders, crow's feet, cancer scars, saggy boobs, and more stretch marks than you can shake a stick at. But he chose me anyway. He put a ring on my finger, and vowed to love me for as long as we both live." She held up her hand, with its engagement ring and wedding band. "And I put a ring on _his_ finger, and vowed I'd love him for as long as we both live. I really am sorry you've had such a terrible life. I wouldn't wish your life on anyone. But you've had any number of chances to change, to be a better person, and you threw them all away. So, as Damon's wife and his mate, I'm telling you to leave. There's nothing for you here. Go back to that other place." She went to stand next to Damon, who put his arm around her shoulders. Katherine cursed both of them in the most vile words she could think of in English, then switched to Bulgarian.

Bonnie nodded in satisfaction and resumed chanting. Katherine seemed to writhe in an agony that had nothing to do with the vervain ropes. Her skin broke out into blisters and those blisters began to smoke. At a gesture from the witch, Damon gathered Lindsey into his arms and pressed her face to his chest so she couldn't see. "You don't need to see this," he murmured. "It's going to be really ugly. It'll give you nightmares," he said. "In fact, why don't you get out of earshot? You've done what you could. Go back to the house where you can't hear this. Please sweetheart, do that for me." He walked her to the outside and she stood there. Katherine's screams were getting louder.

Lindsey looked into Damon's face. He nodded and kissed her forehead. "Go on. There's nothing else you can do here. Bonnie has it under control. Her coven is here in the woods and she's drawing power from them. I'll meet you at the house."

"O.K.", she answered and started for the house.

She was still in the woods, when a woman came from behind a tree, nearly scaring her to death. "Thank you for leaving," she said. "You do not need these sights and sounds to taint you. Go to your house where there is peace."

"Are you one of Bonnie's coven?" Lindsey asked.

"I am." She smiled at Lindsey, who returned the smile and started back for the house. The screams were faint now, and were silenced completely when she got into the house and closed the door. She breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't think she wanted to know what happened.

* * *

After Lindsey left, Minda, Alecia and a third friend entered the space, to complete the points on the compass. As they chanted, Damon stood, impassive, as Katherine's skin started to burn in earnest, and shortly, she was engulfed in flames. The ropes burned off, but it didn't matter; she was unable to move. The witches continued their chanting, and in just minutes, there was nothing but a pile of charred bones where Katherine once sat. The flames died out and Bonnie turned to Damon. "You may not want to see this next part."

He shook his head. "I'm a Civil War veteran. You can't come up with anything worse than what I saw at Gettysburg."

Bonnie nodded. Sometimes she forgot how old Damon actually was, and that he probably had seen horrible things. "O.K. This part is so she never comes back, ever, for any reason."

"Then I don't have a problem with it."

"Stand back," she said. Damon nodded and retreated to the back wall.

One of the witches handed Bonnie what looked like a broadsword. It looked razor sharp, and she took it and stabbed it into the ground with a chant. Then, the witch took a small dagger from her belt and she and the others each pricked her finger with it and allowed the blood to drop on to the burned corpse. Bonnie stole a glance at Damon, but he was unmoved, his face expressionless.

"Sister, this is your spell. You complete it," said the witch holding the dagger.

Bonnie stepped forward and took the sword handle with both hands. She raised it to the heavens and chanted, then drew something in the dirt and shouted some word Damon didn't understand. As she did, incredibly, the skull of what had been Katerina Petrova started screaming. Damon's eyes widened, and he could feel the hair standing up on the back of his neck. He hadn't expected _that_.

But Bonnie was apparently not surprised. More chanting, and she crashed the heavy sword into the skull. Damon took an involuntary step back as the skull itself seemed to detonate into pieces; each piece caught fire and exploded midair.

Incredibly, a crack opened in the floor and the ashes, bones, skull fragments and everything within the circle of the spell was sucked into the crevice, which then closed.

More chanting followed as the older witch put the sword away and they joined hands and said the words that concluded their spell and closed the circle. That was all in Latin, which Damon understood well enough to know what was going on. When they finished, Bonnie turned to him.

"It's time for you to leave. This place will have to be burned with black salt and holy water to purify the land. We can't leave it defiled. Go to Lindsey. We've got it from here."

He walked outside with the women and said, "Thank you, ladies. If you ever need anything let us know." He turned to go when the oldest witch - he'd never seen her- touched his arm. That was highly unusual. Bonnie was about the only witch who ever touched him without shuddering.

Damon looked at her and she grinned. "Has anyone told you that your wedding ring carries light with it?"

He nodded. "It's been mentioned."

"I'm sure. Your mate is quite a woman."

"I agree."

"Go in peace and blessings be upon you," she said.

"Thank you," he replied and left to go back to Lindsey.

The witch turned to Bonnie. "They have something special."

"They do," Bonnie agreed. "So let's get this done and go home."

They circled the space, scattering black salt and holy water, and as they chanted, the place caught fire and burned to the ground. They then scattered holy water and black salt over those ashes, and said words of purification. The ritual concluded, they left, feeling that a tiny portion of balance had been restored to their world.

* * *

Damon went inside the house and Lindsey met him in the front hall, her face a question.

"It's over. Once and for all, it's over."

"How was it?" Lindsey asked.

"Bad. Be glad you weren't there. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen, but it was close." His face was dark.

Lindsey stroked his hair back and kissed him. "I'm sorry you saw that. Are you OK? I mean, with her being absolutely gone?"

He nodded and gave her a small smile. "I am. I noticed it as I was walking back to the house. I feel - free, somehow. Like nothing's hanging over my head, or in the back of my mind. It's like there's a shadow gone."

"Wonder if Stefan feels the same?"

"I'll call him later and ask him. In the meantime, I've been up all night, and I'm used to getting more sleep. I haven't fed since yesterday afternoon, either, and I'm hungry."

After a lingering kiss, Lindsey said, "Plenty of blood upstairs, and I didn't sleep too well without you. So you feed, and we'll clean up, and then go to bed. And eventually, we might even get some sleep." Her grin was wicked.

"I do like the way you think, babe," Damon said.

Lindsey just grinned at him as she took his hand and led him upstairs. Finally, they were rid of Katherine, with no chance of her coming back, and Damon said he felt free. That was a solid win.

* * *

 **Reviews? Make a writer happy? :D**


	18. Chapter 18: A Legal Matter

**A/N: Yes, it's true: ANOTHER update! Yeah, I can't quite believe it, either. But this chapter has been mostly written for a while. I just needed to flesh it out. It's a little shorter than my usual chapter, but this is where it ended naturally, so this is how it gets posted. Thank you again, so much, to my faithful readers and reviewers! Keep them coming! Please read, enjoy, and review!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate The Vampire Diaries_

* * *

 **Chapter 18: A Legal Matter**

 **July, 2017**

"Federal charges on Foley! I knew it!" Lindsey crowed when she got the letter from the Virginia Commonwealth federal prosecutor. He sent it at the behest of Sonya Stafford from the Committee on Higher Education.

"Federal? Really? How'd they work that out?" Damon asked. Not that he wasn't thrilled. But he was a little surprised. He figured this would stay in the civil arena. But criminal charges were fantastic.

"Kidnapping. Foley was stupid enough to set up a lab in West Virginia, and when he had some of those women transported across state lines, it triggered federal charges, not just state charges. I guess he figured no one would find that lab. Of course he didn't think anyone would find out because he's invincible!" She was tickled. Clinton Foley on trial for federal kidnapping charges. Plus, the government decided Whitmore's financial issues also warranted federal charges for fraud, since a fair portion of the money that was misdirected was from federal academic grants meant for specific research projects. "I told you, Damon. Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself. Well, he's about to start swinging. You can't cover up that much for that long. Can't be done."

"I'd like to be the one to drop the trapdoor under him," Damon replied.

"Me too, but I'll let the system work. He's so busted. I mean, 100 percent dead to rights. I'm looking forward to that trial, let me tell you."

"So am I. He wasn't even born when I was captured, but you can bet he's seen all the records. He'll know me."

"There's one more thing. I'll probably be called as a witness, since I brought all this up to start with." She waited for the explosion.

Damon's eyes widened in alarm. "No! You can't testify! What if Foley's lawyer asks you right out if you're a vampire? You'll be under oath, and I know you won't lie under oath. You've got too much integrity!"

"Don't worry. If it comes up, I'll tap dance around it. I'm smarter than Foley's attorney. I know this because no attorney with a dime's worth of sense would defend that rat bastard."

Damon shook his head. "He's probably got some high-priced dude from a Richmond firm."

"So? They're just in it for the money. If it starts looking bad and like they won't get paid, they'll plead it out, I'm betting. Unless Foley's too much of a narcissist to let them. In any case, I'm not worrying about it. I'm on the right side of this case." Lindsey's tone was decided and as always, Damon had to admire her fearlessness.

* * *

 **October, 2017**

Lindsey wasn't sure how much of a crowd there would be for Clinton Foley's trial. Turned out, there was a fair number of vampires attending, and a large number of human survivors. Lindsey knew they would be giving victim impact statements, after being carefully coached to leave out some of the parts about actual vampires. Since this was a criminal trial with federal charges, the federal prosecutor was in charge, but Finn Mikaelson was co-chair, representing the Commonwealth of Virginia. He had a law degree from Cambridge, and was a member of both the Louisiana and Virginia bar associations. Lindsey didn't give two hoots if having a vampire on the prosecution team gave them an unfair advantage. She'd bet the last dollar in the Salvatores' combined bank accounts that Foley was on vervain and couldn't be compelled, but she doubted too many of the other witnesses were. She knew he had her back if Foley's attorney got too aggressive, but she was expecting a full-out assault, so she hoped she was prepared for anything he threw at her."

"You ready for this?" Damon breathed in her ear.

"So ready," Lindsey said. "Having Clinton Foley on trial for kidnapping - among all the other charges we've got on him - oh yeah. I know he was behind my kidnapping, and I want to look him in his cold blue eyes and remind him that he didn't get rid of me, that I'm right here in his frat boy face."

"That's my warrior angel," Damon said proudly and kissed her. Suddenly, Lindsey tensed all over and her head jerked toward a group of men who walked past them. It was Foley and his defense team. He walked a little ahead of the rest. She sniffed the air, and her vamp features started to emerge. "What is it, babe?" Damon whispered. "Get control. You're starting to vamp out."

Lindsey took a deep breath and Damon could swear her eyes were burning copper flame. " _Him_ ," she breathed. "Foley." The group got out of earshot and Lindsey sniffed again, and Damon heard a barely audible growl from her.

"What about him?"

They were near a door that led to an interior courtyard, and Lindsey took Damon's hand and led him outside. She took several more breaths. "Give me your word you won't go bananas and go after him."

Damon's face darkened. "What did he do?"

"I need your word, Damon." She held his hand in a death grip.

"I give you my word I won't go after Foley. Now what did that bastard do?"

"He was one of … them. Those men. I couldn't distinguish his scent when I went to Whitmore, but I recognized his scent today - from the house.. Foley was one of the men in the house."

Damon looked over at the group through the window. This time, _his_ eyes darkened and his fangs dropped. He hissed in Foley's direction and in his rage, broke a cement figure in half with his bare hands. Lindsey watched him as he walked around and around the courtyard, cursing and detailing explicitly how he intended to kill Clinton Foley as painfully as possible. She waited silently until he calmed down enough to come back to her and fold her into his arms. She could feel the anger surging through his body, and through their bond, and she sent love and comfort back to him.

"I'm all right, sweetheart. I'm here and I'm O.K. Let justice prevail here. It will. He's going to lose all of his money in restitution costs and attorneys' fees, and he'll spend years behind bars."

"It's not enough for what he did to you," Damon growled.

"It's enough. No freedom, no money and worst of all, no social status. He'll be a convicted felon in a federal prison. It's enough," Lindsey said, and she kissed him. "Let's go in. We'll be late if we don't."

Lindsey and Damon went into the courtroom, which was filling up. Elijah had saved them seats on his row, and they sat down. Lindsey was next to Elijah, but Damon leaned behind her and told him what Lindsey's nose discovered. She saw the Original go very, very still. "Is that so?" he said quietly, his tone soaked in menace. "How interesting."

"He's mine, Elijah," Damon said.

"Of course. Still and all…" he took Lindsey's hand. "You're a brave woman, my dear. But your mate and I are here. And Finn. You won't face him alone."

"I know, Elijah, and I truly appreciate it."

The trial started with opening arguments, and Lindsey had to admit - Foley's lawyer was good, and he was slick. His motto must have been, "obfuscate." Lindsey shook her head at some of his tactics, which were clearly designed to confuse the jury. She listened as he attempted to paint his client as an upstanding businessman who only had the good of his community at heart. "I think I'm gonna puke," she said, low, so only Damon and Elijah could hear. Damon's shoulders quivered in silent laughter and Elijah grinned at her.

The prosecution opened its case with testimony from human women who were abducted and taken to Whitmore or West Virginia for "research." Nearly every one of them worked for Clinton Foley, or his family, at one time or another. Lindsey knew from Elijah's source material, that Foley's company also funded the "survey" she took in Nashville that led to her abduction.

"We were drugged," the witness said. "We'd have believed anything they told us, including that we were supposed to mate with vampires."

"Do you believe in vampires?" the prosecutor asked.

The woman snorted. "Hell, no, but when some nut in a white coat is giving you joy juice every few hours, like I said, you'll believe anything."

The prosecutor nodded and held up a baggie. "U.S. Exhibit 1, a representative sample of injectable Halcion, a hypnotic-sedative. Over $20,000 of this medication was recovered in the labs at Whitmore University, and we have sworn depositions from technicians who said it was their job to administer the Halcion, which we now submit as U.S. Exhibit 2."

Not surprisingly, the defense attorney got nowhere with the woman on cross, and she exited the courtroom looking satisfied.

By far, the witness with the most damning financial evidence against Foley was the forensic accountant. The state hired him to go through Foley's business accounts and the results were enlightening, to say the least.

The prosecutor asked, "Mr. Orr, what did your audit of Clinton Foley's business accounts show in relation to Whitmore University?"

"That he gave sizable donations to the university from his profits, which is perfectly legal, but he also had another corporation, BroSun, Inc., that funded research at Whitmore University," the man answered.

"Could you ascertain the nature of the experiments BroSun funded by examining the financial records?"

Mr. Orr nodded. "Easily, but most people wouldn't have believed what they read. But the numbers don't lie."

"And what did the records say? Were they detailed?"

"Oh, very, very detailed. Excruciatingly so. Every amount went to a particular project, trial, what have you. Each of those projects had an allocation number, so you could easily see where every dollar went. A list of the allocation numbers, their associated projects and the goals and descriptions of each project were included in the files," he explained.

"I see. So, if BroSun allocated, say $10,000 to a certain project number, all you had to do was look up that number to see what kind of project it was. Is that correct?"

"Objection! Leading the witness!" the defense attorney exclaimed.

The prosecutor rolled his eyes. "Your Honor, the witness is merely explaining the method by which any accountant could determine how BroSun's funds were allocated."

The judge glared at the defense attorney. "Overruled. The witness may answer."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Can you read some of the names of the projects from the highlighted portions of the allocation records? I'm also submitting it as U.S. Exhibit 3, please, Your Honor." The judge nodded and indicated Mr. Orr should continue.

He cleared his throat and Lindsey leaned forward. Here's where it was going to get really good. In about 30 seconds, the jury was going to think Clinton Foley was not only a kidnapper, but also a card carrying nut. She could almost feel the noose tightening and she grinned, and then had to cover her mouth to hide her fangs, which had dropped involuntarily. Damon snickered at that and she elbowed him.

"Well, one project is abbreviated CE/HVCP," said Mr. Orr. Damon and Lindsey looked at each other. They were intimately familiar with _those_ letters.

"And, according to the allocation sheet, what do those letters stand for?"

"Co-Existence/Human Vampire Conception Project." A ripple ran through the courtroom at those words.

The prosecutor managed to look startled. "Did you say 'vampire' conception project, Mr. Orr?"

"I did."

"But there's no such thing as vampires, is there?" he said. There was a very soft titter from the vamps in attendance. The jury, of course, didn't understand it for what it was.

"Apparently, Clinton Foley thought there was. He funnelled over $3 million to the project over a ten-year period."

Damon sneaked his hand over to hold Lindsey's. She squeezed it gratefully, but she wasn't upset. Actually, she was feeling the vindication every reporter feels when their instincts are proven accurate. She was enjoying Mr. Orr's testimony hugely. She knew things might be ugly later on, but right now, she was loving it.

"Three million dollars? Is that accurate? What did the explanation say was the goal of this project?" The prosecutor infused humorous disbelief into his tone.

"It's accurate," Mr. Orr replied dryly. "The explanation says the project's goal is to ascertain whether humans and vampires can co-exist peacefully in close quarters, and also to see whether male vampires who, and I quote 'cannot generally procreate,' unquote, can have their sperm genetically altered in order to produce offspring whose organs could be harvested for transplant purposes, and then would re-generate these organs, but without requiring a steady diet of human blood to do so."

Lindsey glanced over at the jury. They looked stunned. So did the reporters in the courtroom. Lindsey could only imagine them trying to explain this part of the story to their editors. She felt sorry for them. She thought about the TV reporters doing their noon reports from the trial and thought about what they would say, and she got tickled. Her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter as she imagined them trying to come up with a 15-second spot that wouldn't sound completely insane. " _Yes, we heard fascinating testimony in the Clinton Foley trial, where a forensic accountant testified Foley's business records showed he was funding a project to promote conception between humans and vampires,"_ ran the dialog in her mind. They'd better hire extra people to man the phones after that. People would be jamming the lines once that aired. She shook her head.

Although Foley's attorney was good, he couldn't do much to rattle Mr. Orr. The accountant was absolutely sure of his ground.

"Mr. Orr, are you telling this court you believe in vampires?" the attorney asked.

"No, I'm describing what the BroSun money was earmarked for, according to the company records. That's it. I don't know or care whether vampires exist or not. I'm just telling the court what the records said."

Looking defeated, the attorney said, "That's all I have, Your Honor."

"Redirect?" the judge asked the prosecution.

At that, Finn got up and approached the witness. "Finn Mikaelson, second chair, attorney for the Commonwealth," he said. "Mr. Orr, were you able to ascertain from the records where the funds diverted to BroSun Inc. came from?" His cultured voice was quiet in the courtroom.

"Some were from Mr. Foley's other businesses, while others were private donations. Many were diverted from federal scientific grants."

"Private donations directly to BroSun, or were they designated for some other purpose?"

Mr. Orr raised his eyebrows. "Private donations that were earmarked for established, endowed scholarships at Whitmore University, but that were diverted to BroSun."

"So these donations were never put to their intended use?"

"No. None of the BroSun funds were ever earmarked for anything except the research projects."

Finn gave the jury a look of disbelief. "Is that illegal?"

Orr shrugged. "You're the attorney. You know the law on that one. It is highly unethical, however."

Finn smiled. "Highly. How was the defendant able to divert funds, say on checks written directly to the university, and earmarked for scholarships?"

"According to the records, Mr. Foley is also the Chief Financial Officer for Whitmore and a Trustee, as well."

Finn went to the table and picked up a sheet of paper. "This is merely a list of endowed scholarships at Whitmore University. The defense also has a copy. So, speaking in the hypothetical, a donor - perhaps an alumna of Whitmore - could write a check to the college and designate the funds, for, say, the Jewell C. Collins Fine Arts Scholarship, which was established in memory of the defendant's maternal grandmother, by the way, with every expectation the funds would be used to assist a fine arts student to attend Whitmore, but the funds could be diverted instead to fund this highly, um, unusual research without the donor's knowledge or consent?"

"That's exactly it, counselor."

"And the same with the federal grants? Since he was CFO, he could arrange for funds to be diverted in the same way?" Finn asked.

"Pretty much."

"Whitmore records indicate an important science grant concerning climate change was allocated to the university. What do those records say about the distribution of those funds?"

Mr. Orr peered at the records. "Well, the grant was for $2.5 million, but only about $500,000 ever made it to the Whitmore science lab. The rest went through BroSun for various vampire-related research projects."

"And is that illegal?" Finn asked.

"Objection! Witness is not an attorney!" came the exclamation from the defense table.

Finn rolled his eyes. He expected this question. "Your Honor, the witness is a certified public accountant and as such is acquainted with law regarding _federal_ monies from grants or other sources."

"Overruled, but be careful Mr. Mikaelson. You're treading a thin line."

"Of course, Your Honor. So, is this type of diversion illegal?"

"It's considered fraud," Mr. Orr replied, and he quoted the federal statute.

"I see. That's all I have, Your Honor."

"The witness may be excused," the judge said.

By this time, every juror in the box was looking daggers at Foley, and Lindsey could see it. The prosecution could rest right now, and his goose was cooked. Burned to a crisp. Why on earth didn't he plead guilty and forego a jury trial? The judge called the noon recess, but before dismissing the court, cautioned all the reporters to be very circumspect in their reporting, to reduce threats to public safety.

* * *

Damon, Lindsey and Elijah walked to a nearby cafe and ordered lunch. Elijah had a few bites of a salad, but watched in amusement as Lindsey ate a burger and fries just like a regular human. Honestly, she was the best cover the vamp community had.

"So, what are your impressions, Lindsey?" Elijah asked.

She shrugged. "He's an idiot for not pleading guilty. But that's the hallmark of a narcissist. They're never wrong. If he'd entered a guilty plea, the judge could have sentenced him, and that would have been pretty much all there was to report on. Everything else would have been sealed. But once the records have been released in open court, that's it. It's all public record now, and subject to reporting in the media." Lindsey ate a french fry. "Like I said - he's an idiot."

Elijah's eyes widened. "So, you mean, any media outlet could request copies of his financial records, and since they were entered into the court record, the newspaper or television station could get that and print them or post them online?"

"Yep." Damon and Elijah looked at each other. "Oh, don't worry about it," she said. "If the poor women they nabbed don't believe in vampires, why should anyone else?"

"You don't think any of them ever saw the vampires who were supposed to impregnate them?" Damon said.

Lindsey shook her head. "Even if they did, unless they actually saw them drinking blood or vamped out, what was there to see? Besides, they were hopped up on Halcion. That's some fierce stuff. And that actually works to our advantage. They can testify they were kidnapped and held against their will, since they were presumably sober when it happened. But Halcion is a hypno-sedative, which means it makes people susceptible to suggestion. See where I'm going with this?"

Damon nodded. "So, if they say they saw a guy with fangs, well, that can be easily attributed to the meds, since they were told they were going to have half-vampire babies."

"Right," she answered. "And Finn's already there and probably two steps ahead. He's already got copies of the 'intake' paperwork, and none of it has signatures from the abductees, but it pretty much spells out the circumstances of their kidnapping and imprisonment. We should be grateful Clinton Foley is a total narcissist. He was so sure no one was smart enough to catch him, he didn't bother to cover his tracks. At all."

Elijah gave one of his quiet grins. "Nick wanted Foley as his personal torture subject. I dissuaded him. This is far better. He's publicly humiliated, presented as a complete lunatic, deprived of money and freedom, and the Augustine program is permanently dismantled. If this trial goes as I think it probably will, then there couldn't be a better outcome."

Damon harrumphed. "Well, if that nutjob brother of yours wants Foley, he has to get in line - behind ME! If any vamp gets fangs on that cocksucker, it's gonna be me."

Elijah raised an amused eyebrow. "Your lovely wife might have something to say about that."

Lindsey shuddered. "The farther he is away from me, the better off we all are. Let him rot in jail. Suits me fine. Especially if some big dude with eyelid tattoos decides he's real purty and would make an excellent girlfriend." She grinned at the men, and Damon laughed.

"See, Elijah, I told you about her. She's meaner than either one of us."

"Oh, the female of the species is always far more dangerous," Elijah said, his eyes twinkling.

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush."

As the trial wore on into the afternoon, the prosecution called two more women who had been abducted, along with two assistants who worked with Foley, one who helped with at least one abduction, and was obviously testifying for the government to stay out of jail. Finally, the judge adjourned for the day. If the prosecution called Lindsey, it would probably be the next day.

* * *

In their hotel room, Damon and Lindsey talked at length that night about whether the defense would allow Foley on the stand.

"As much as I'd love to see Finn make Foley squirm like a worm on a hot rock, I'm not sure putting him on the stand is a good idea," Lindsey said.

Damon sprawled on the sofa, sipping bourbon. "Why not?"

"If he really goes off the rails, the judge might remand him over for a psych evaluation, and could declare him incompetent to stand trial. He's not. He knows exactly what's going on; he's just too stuck on himself to think he could possibly be convicted."

Damon wrinkled his nose. "Didn't think about that."

"I've heard of it happening."

"Hummph. Don't want that."

Lindsey shook her head. "No we don't. Although, if his attorney thinks he might go bonkers and be judged incompetent, he might go ahead and put him on the stand. If Foley's declared incompetent, the trial comes to a standstill. But as unpredictable as Foley is, that might be the worst thing he could do. He could be cool as a cucumber the whole time, which would sink his case. It's a serious roll of the dice for the defense, either way."

"I love watching your brain in action. Damn sexy," Damon said with a leer.

Lindsey chuckled as she removed her makeup and brushed her hair. Damon came up behind her and put his arms around her. "I intend to make that asshole pay for what he did to you, one way or another."

"Let him be. He's toast, as it is."

Damon nosed in her hair and inhaled her fragrance. "No."

"Damon, honey, he's not worth it."

"You're right. He's not, but _you_ are. He was behind your abduction, and he touched you. He doesn't get to get away with that."

Lindsey stood, slipped her arms around him, kissed him, then pressed her cheek to his. "I love you. I have you. That's all I need. I don't want you caught up in a revenge cycle." She looked into his eyes. "I'm serious, sweetheart. You're too precious to me."

Damon sighed. "I can't hold out for five minutes against you. You know I can't."

"I try not to press my advantage there, either. But when Foley gets that guilty verdict, I'm happy. I'm good. He's in jail, justice is served. And not just for me, but for all the poor women who were abducted. I'm not the only one who has a part in this. There are many women who suffered for a long time, who can't have children now because of those experiments. They're really the ones who deserve to have justice. And all the vampires who didn't survive, and those who did awful things to cope with the trauma." Here she stroked Damon's hair. "You suffered far more at the hands of the Augustines than I did." She put a finger on his lips when he would have argued with her. Then, she kissed him again, threading her fingers through his hair and pulled him against her body. Lindsey needed Damon's arms around her. He was too happy to oblige.

Damon kissed Lindsey softly, sweetly, and she felt his fingers at the buttons of her blouse, deftly loosening it from her body, even as he shrugged out of his shirt. He stepped out of his trousers as they hit the floor and Lindsey's hands caressed the bare skin on his back. He stopped to watch her undo her bra with one hand and grinned when it slipped from her body and he pressed her softness to his chest. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed as he finished undressing and covered Lindsey's body with his. This was all about Damon's need to hold his mate and keep her safe.

Damon kissed all his favorite spots on Lindsey's skin until she was humming with need. He filled her body with his and she wrapped her legs around his waist, angling her hips so he could go deeper inside. It was hot and it was quick, and both were panting when he rolled her to their sides, high again on her blood, sated with their lovemaking - for the moment, anyway.

"Now who needs a quickie in a hotel room?" Lindsey teased.

"Me. Because I'm just that way. You love it."

"Never said I didn't, oh Prince of Darkness." She grinned at him.

"I could swat Bon-Bon for starting that one," Damon mock-groused.

"Awww, you know _you_ love it. You like it when people - particularly women - think of you as being all dark and dangerous - but too hot to resist."

"That's because I _am_ too hot to resist," he smirked.

Lindsey shook her head. "You're so lucky I love you so much. Otherwise, that iron skillet would get a lot more use."

Damon's face softened and he kissed her face tenderly. "I am the luckiest guy in the world, ever, that you love me so much. Believe me, I know how lucky - how blessed - I am. And I'm gonna devote the rest of my life to making sure you know how much, too."

"I know, sweetheart, believe me. Let's get some shut-eye, since tomorrow might be a big day."

He nodded and cuddled her close. "I love you."

"And I love you."

It took a while for Lindsey to drop off to sleep, but lulled by the sound of Damon's soft breathing, she finally slept, too.

* * *

 **Reviews? Yes? Make a writer happy!**


	19. Chapter 19: Sacred Secrets, Nearly Truth

**A/N: Yep, another chapter! I think the muse is ready to be done with this story, so she's being cooperative. Probably one more chapter after this one, if all goes well. So read, enjoy and please review! Thank you as always to all those who read, review, follow and fave! Your support keeps me motivated. On with the show!**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Vampire Diaries."_

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Sacred Secrets, Nearly Truth**

Lindsey sat in an anteroom where the witnesses sat, in order to keep other testimony from influencing theirs. Not that it made much difference to her. She could hear everything going on in the courtroom. The testimony was alternately laughable and cringe-inducing.

The door opened and a bailiff came inside. "Lindsey Salvatore?" He held the door open. She smiled at him and walked into the courtroom. Her eyes found Damon and Elijah first and Damon nodded at her. She looked over to the prosecution's table and Finn gave her a slow wink. They had done prep that morning, and she thought she'd be ready for anything the defense threw at her. The discussion was whether to say she found the information about the projects online - and she did find out about the exact nature of the project from the internet - or whether to bring up her abduction in Nashville. Since she wasn't drugged, if the defense asked her if Damon was a vampire, things could get hairy and quickly. In the end, they decided honesty - to a certain point - was the best policy, and trusted Lindsey's quick mind to stay two steps ahead of the defense attorney. She shot Clinton Foley a look that made even his icy blood run a degree or two colder.

"Please state your name for the record," the bailiff said, after Lindsey was sworn in.

"Lindsey Salvatore."

"You may be seated."

She sat and Finn approached the stand. "Mrs. Salvatore, what is your occupation?"

"I work from home as a freelance writer, but I was a reporter at a daily newspaper for 22 years."

"I see. And which newspapers employed you?"

Lindsey named the papers in Cullman, Birmingham and Oneonta where she worked.

"And did you routinely write stories of a detailed nature for these papers?"

She smiled. "I wrote what my editor assigned me. But yes, I did several in-depth stories, and a few series while I was a daily reporter."

"And how were these received?" Finn asked.

"Well, a piece I wrote about an Alabama catering company giving food poisoning to some of their customers did win a Freedom of Information Award from the Alabama Press Association."

"Very good. Can you explain to the court what that award means?"

Lindsey thought about it. "Well, when you start dealing with certain issues, there are records that are supposed to be available to the public, and the award deals with the reporter and newspaper insisting these records be released, to inform the public about what their government, or what a private entity is doing that generates information that should be public record. In this story, the county health department filed a report, and part of my work was to see that report. Since it was generated by a government entity, it was public record."

"How interesting. Why would you have to work to see that report?" Finn sounded so interested and Lindsey coughed down a chuckle.

"Because it showed the health department knew beforehand the caterer had numerous health violations, but they didn't shut them down. It was a liability issue."

"I see. So your previous work gave you insight into what records would be available in the Whitmore case?"

"Oh yes."

"And why are those records considered public?"

"Because Whitmore is a state university, and as such, all the financial records fall under the Freedom of Information Act."

Finn nodded. "And why did you think you needed access to those records?"

"Because Whitmore was obviously doing something out of the ordinary, and often, financial records are the only way you can track that. Like the movie says, 'follow the money'. It'll usually lead you right where you want to go."

"Now, Mrs. Salvatore, how did you come to know about the university's actions?"

"I was a victim of their project." An astonished ripple ran through the courtroom and Foley's defense attorney looked shocked and then conferred urgently with his client. Well, well. Looks like the frat boy was keeping things from his attorney. Bad move.

"You were. Were you abducted?"

"Yes. I was job-hunting in Nashville in 2004 and was captured in a store downtown and found myself in a condominium. I was told I was part of a project to see if humans and vampires could co-exist peacefully."

Finn managed to look astonished. "That sounds far-fetched. Were you drugged?"

"When they got me, yes. The rest of the time, I don't think so, but I really can't be certain."

"I see. Then what happened?"

"I was in the condo for about three days, when I was instructed over the speakers to go to the bathroom and close the door. When I was told I could leave, a couple of hours later, I found a folder on the coffee table that said my vampire roommate had arrived, and I was advised to make the best of the situation."

Now came the most tricky part. "And was this person a vampire?"

Lindsey shrugged. "He could walk around in the sunlight and ate regular food. He never turned into a bat or slept in a coffin or anything like that." She risked a glance at Damon, who was grinning broadly. Elijah looked like he was about to pass out from holding in laughter. The rest of the vamps were elbowing each other and laughing softly.

"Did he drink blood?" Finn knew if he got these questions out of the way and answered, then the defense would have much less ammo to work with on cross.

"There were bags of red liquid in the fridge. He drank them, but I never tasted them to see if they were blood or not. He said he had to drink them, so I mean, he could have been drugged and _told_ he had to drink whatever was in them. I have no idea." Lindsey could obfuscate, herself. Of course, it _could_ have all happened that way - she just knew it didn't.

"How long were you held captive?"

"About eight weeks."

"And how did you get away?" Finn wasn't sure about this part, himself.

"We were able to go to the grocery store, and my roommate created a distraction and we got away in the confusion. We rented a car and started south."

There was a story in that, and Finn wanted to hear it one day. "And then?"

"We were in Gulf Shores a week or so, and our captors found us. They broke into the house where we were staying and were threatening my roommate. I ended up shooting one of them in order to put them on the road. "

"And did your roommate have a name?"

"Damon Salvatore."

"Salvatore? And your last name is Salvatore."

Lindsey grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "We married in 2014. It took a while, but we finally tied the knot."

"Congratulations. So one good thing came out of the episode.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's been good."

"So back to the Whitmore issue. How did you determine your captors were connected with Whitmore University?"

"Well, they left a printout of instructions and so forth that we had to read, and these pages had a series of letters on each page. On our first trip to the grocery store, I borrowed a laptop from a guy in Starbucks and looked up the letters. They stood for the Co-Existence Human/Vampire Conception Project. I saw some accounts on forums of people who had been abducted for the project. So, when Damon and I escaped, I started doing research, on and off, about them. When we married, I had more time to work on it, so I started requesting records and looking at the finances. What I had was enlightening, but I couldn't make a definitive connection to the university until I received a cache of information that came directly from the Whitmore archives."

"And how did you come by this cache?" Finn knew if he didn't ask, the defense would.

Lindsey grinned broadly. "A reporter never reveals her sources, Mr. Mikaelson. It wouldn't be ethical. But you have copies. And it's been authenticated. But because it's from a state college, it's all public record, anyway. Except for personnel records concerning good name and character, any records produced by a state institution are open for public inspection. They're not supposed to be hidden. State and federal monies were used to fund those projects. Therefore, the records are public."

Finn's eyes were twinkling. He didn't risk a look at the defense table, but he knew Foley's attorney could surely feel this case slipping away. When you discussed everything upfront, almost any question could be countered with, "asked and answered." "So, you received those records and what did you do?"

"Contacted a friend here at the Richmond newspaper to ask if they'd be interested in a story about it. Of course, they were, but in the interests of objectivity, I needed to get the other side of the story, so I spoke with the Whitmore Board of Trustees."

"And then?"

"They pretty much told me I was crazy and their fine, upstanding university wouldn't have any dealings in this kind of thing." Lindsey shrugged.

"Then what?"

"Then, I met with the Virginia Commission on Higher Education. They were very interested in what I had to say, and they also spoke with a woman who was abducted by these people. She was held at the university."

"Based on your research, how long has the university been involved in these kinds of experiments?"

"I found records dating back to the mid-1940s, not long after World War II ended. So for a long while."

Finn nodded. "So, what actions did the commission take, if you know?"

"They shut the science department down, and these proceedings are a result of their own investigations, as I understand it."

"So your part was largely to provide information to proper authorities. What about the news story?"

"Well, sometimes, you have to give up a story if it might compromise legal proceedings. That was the case here. It was more important to get justice for these proceedings. A story might have compromised that."

"I see. Nothing further, Your Honor," Finn said. He gave her an encouraging nod before taking his seat.

"Thank you, counselor. Mr. Fitzhugh?" The judge nodded at the defense table.

Lindsey watched Calum Kincaid Fitzhugh Jr. approach the stand. She'd done her research, and she knew he was a prominent Richmond defense attorney, partner in his father's law firm, and a member of one of the first families of Virginia. Oh, there was plenty of old money snobbery here. She could smell it on him.

His face was as chiseled as any Hollywood star's, his dark hair, fashionably mussed, grey suit - impeccable. His hazel eyes glittered with malice and his smile was oily. Lindsey just nodded pleasantly and quirked a skeptical eyebrow. She hoped she was ready for anything he threw at her.

"Mrs. Salvatore, it's so nice to hear about an ethical reporter," he began, "so how do you explain the ethics of keeping your source of information from Whitmore a secret? I thought you were all about transparency."

Slushball. "I am. And as I recall, you've been furnished with the relevant records, so you've had an opportunity to authenticate them. As I said, an ethical reporter protects her sources. That's all I'm doing. Woodward and Bernstein didn't tell people that Mark Felt was Deep Throat until Nixon had been dead for 11 years. And _their_ work brought down a U.S. president." Damon grinned and nudged Elijah at that. The Original looked sidelong at him with a faint smile.

Fitzhugh narrowed his eyes and Lindsey and she returned the gesture. As Damon well knew, that meant trouble for the target. She was digging into the batter's box, and daring Fitzhugh to throw his best fastball.

"Indeed," he said. "So you won't say where you got the information?"

"Not without a court order."

Fitzhugh looked at the judge. "Your Honor?"

The judge scowled, but said, "Mrs. Salvatore, was the information you received obtained legally, to the best of your knowledge?"

"To the best of my knowledge, yes, Your Honor." She had no idea how Elijah got it. She didn't want to know, for this very reason.

"And it's been authenticated, Mr. Fitzhugh?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Then I see no reason to compel the witness to reveal her source. Continue."

"Of course, Your Honor." He made a show of cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief. He went to the defense table and handed Lindsey a printout from the U.S. Supernaturals Index.

" _Dammit,"_ she thought, but kept her face impassive. But Damon caught the thought and looked sharply at her.

"Can you tell me what this is?" he asked.

"Looks like something called the U.S. Supernatural Index," she answered.

"Have you ever seen this before?"

"Someone sent the link to me several months ago. They thought I'd think it was funny."

"Your picture is on there. Are you a member of the supernatural community?"

"Lots of names are on here. Some people like to turn everything into their own version of 'Twilight'."

Fitzhugh gave her a nasty grin. Lindsey could almost hear the next question. She wasn't disappointed. "So, this says you're a vampire, along with your husband, Damon Salvatore. Is that true?"

"Objection!" Finn called. "Mr. Fitzhugh is asking the witness if she's a mythical being? Really, Your Honor?"

"I gave you a little latitude. He gets a little, too. A VERY little, Mr. Fitzhugh. Overruled."

"Thank you. Mrs. Salvatore? Are you a vampire?"

Fortunately, the brief interruption gave Lindsey the time to really gather her thoughts. "I ought to be insulted, but vampires are popular nowadays, so I'm flattered."

"You haven't answered the question."

"O.K. I'm sitting here with sunlight coming in on me and not burning to ashes or screaming in pain. I had cereal and a waffle for breakfast, and if it wouldn't mean showing you more of my skin than I'm comfortable with, I'd show you the scar on my chest where my port was when I had ovarian cancer and received chemotherapy. I had adriamycin and vincristine, so I had to have a port. Accessing a vein every time isn't an option with those medications. I'm under the impression that vampires don't get cancer."

"You had cancer?" Fitzhugh asked, astonished. "Where did you receive treatment?"

"At the University of Alabama at Birmingham. My doctor was Dr. Yu Wei Cai, one of the nation's top oncologists. Call him. He'll confirm I was his patient."

Fitzhugh was clearly thrown off balance, but came back with, "Ovarian cancer is hard to beat. You look like you're doing well."

"I am. I was accepted to a clinical trial using genetically altered immune cells to attack the cancer cells. It was successful and I've been in remission since 2014. But as I said, you don't have to take my word for it. Call Dr. Cai. I'll be glad to give you his number."

"That won't be necessary. I'm glad you're doing so well."

"Thank you. I was down to about three months when I was accepted, so I know I beat the odds. I'd have loved to have been a vampire and avoided that adriamycin. It's hell. If you get it on your skin, it will eat through to the bone. Not fun."

While hearing about Lindsey's cancer was painful, Damon had to admire his wife's sneaky brain at work. She knew that bringing up her very real cancer treatment was certain to resonate with the jury, and if Fitzhugh went after her too hard, they'd see it as him picking on a cancer survivor, which would completely alienate them.

Apparently, he'd reached that conclusion too, because he stepped back. Lindsey could see Foley, almost frothing at the mouth with rage, but what could he say? Fitzhugh noticed his client waving madly at him and they conferred briefly. Fitzhugh approached her again. "Mrs. Salvatore, that's a lovely pendant you're wearing." It was her diamond circle pendant. Finn started up but Lindsey gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

"Why thank you. You have an eye for good jewelry," she answered Fitzhugh.

"Indeed. Now, one last question and we'll leave the vampire subject."

"Thank God," the judge intoned softly.

"I'm told that a vampire who walks without harm in the daylight has some piece of jewelry that enables him or her to do so. Are you wearing such a piece of jewelry?"

"No, counselor, I'm not." Damon started and looked hard at his wife. There was no sign of her hummingbird anywhere. He sat back, wide-eyed and puzzled.

"Just for me, would you mind proving it by removing your jewelry?"

Finn was up a moment. "Objection, your Honor! Relevance?"

The judge glared at Fitzhugh. "Counselor, now _I'm_ telling you that you've about run out of latitude," the judge said. "Mrs. Salvatore, you may step down if Mr. Fitzhugh has no more relevant questions."

"Oh, that's all right, Your Honor. I don't mind at all." She unfastened her necklace and laid it on the ledge of the witness stand. Then her diamond stud earrings, her watch, and last, her engagement and wedding rings. She placed her rings carefully on the ledge and spread her hands wide. "That's it, Mr. Fitzhugh." She put her arm into the sunbeam falling across the courtroom. "Is that enough proof for you?" The jury snickered.

"Thank you, Mrs. Salvatore. I'm sure you enjoyed that," Fitzhugh said, a little bitterly.

Lindsey replaced her jewelry, but said nothing in reply.

"Do you have any more _relevant_ questions for this witness?" the judge said, a little wearily.

"Just a couple. When this case is concluded, whatever the outcome, do you plan to write a story about it?"

"No. I've been a witness. That wouldn't be ethical. Another reporter will have to do the story."

Fitzhugh cleared his throat. "So, you have no intentions of profiting in any way from this case? No book deals, no in-depth stories, paid interviews, nothing?"

"Nope. I started the project with the aim of getting justice for those who were abducted, but felt they couldn't come forward. That's happened. I don't need to make a profit from the misery of others."

"Well, aren't you a paragon of virtue?" he snarked, to Finn's objection.

"You have no idea, Mr. Fitzhugh," Lindsey said smoothly, and let her eyes go red for a split second. He was visibly startled, but when he looked at Lindsey again, her eyes were their normal coppery brown.

"No further questions," he stammered, clearly shaken. Finn caught the change and hid a smile behind his hand.

"The witness is excused," the judge said.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Lindsey answered and went back into the anteroom.

The judge called a recess and Lindsey sighed in relief. She left the room and met Damon and Elijah in the hallway. Both were grinning broadly.

"Where's your hummingbird?" Damon asked, low.

"In my bra," she answered and Damon howled with laughter.

"My dear, I don't know when I've been so entertained," Elijah said.

"Well, I'm glad it's over, that's for sure," she answered. "I don't want to do that again, ever!"

"You were awesome, babe," Damon said as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"Self-preservation is a great motivator."

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the hallway. Clinton Foley came thundering toward Lindsey. She could feel Damon and Elijah both tense, but she looked at both and shook her head. She stepped forward. "Something on your mind, Mr. Foley?"

Fitzhugh was behind him. "Don't say a word, Clint!" he yelled.

"You aren't supposed to be here," Foley growled.

Lindsey nodded. "I'm well aware of that. But I'm tough to get rid of. And something else," she continued, her voice quiet. "I may have been chained to the floor and blindfolded, but nothing was wrong with my sense of smell. You'd better _hope_ you get jail time, you little psychopath."

"Is that a threat, you bitch?"

"Oh, no. I'd never threaten you. Seeing your frat boy ass in jail is enough for me. I'm sure the other inmates will find you very attractive." She had the satisfaction of seeing naked fear on his. "But even that will be preferable to you being able to walk around free. Take my word for it. You _want_ to be behind bars. You've got some sins to answer for, and you don't have the luxury of anonymity, now. You have the U.S. Supernatural Index, it's true. But we use the Internet too, and I can absolutely guarantee you'll be public enemy number one. It'll all come down to who catches you first, and how long it takes you to die. And not for me, but for all those who have suffered at your hands, or the hands of those who came before you. We have long, long memories, Clint. And most of our tribe excel in holding grudges and exacting revenge. Trust me. If you want to live, your best bet is prison." She stepped back. "You have a nice day," she said, drawling out in her best Southern accent. She walked back to Damon, tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and they walked down the hall.

* * *

Fitzhugh finally caught up with his client. "Are you crazy, Clint? I may not be able to put Damon Salvatore on the witness stand, now that you've had contact with him!" He looked at Foley, who was trembling in a cold sweat.

"Plead it out, Calum. I'll do the time. Get with the prosecutor."

"What are you talking about, Clint? We can still win this. It won't be easy, but we can _win_!"

Foley shook his head. "No. No. You might win. I won't. They'll get me. They'll come after me. Salvatore's wife was right. She said they know who I am now, and it's just a matter of time before one gets me, and how long it takes them to let me die. No. No. I won't do it. Make the deal, plead it out, and get me into protective custody."

Fitzhugh dragged Foley into an empty conference room. "Are you _nuts_ , Clint? The judge could sentence you to 30 or 40 years in prison! _Years_ , man! You're 54. You could _die_ in prison!"

"If I die in prison, I'll die an old man, Calum. If one of _them_ gets me, I'll die, and die ugly. They're monsters! They _like_ hurting people! They _like_ torturing people!" he was frantic.

Although a seasoned defense attorney, Calum Fitzhugh was dumbfounded at his client's narcissistic hypocrisy. He defended Foley because that's what he was hired to do, not because he thought Foley was such a great human being. As much as he felt superior to others by dint of his ancestry and social standing, Fitzhugh wasn't a monster. He knew his client was guilty as hell, and took an active role in abducting and tormenting these women. He didn't know what happened to Lindsey Salvatore, but he'd bet it was something equally unsavory. Foley was probably correct; he would live longer in jail. Fitzhugh had seen enough to believe in the existence of vampires, and he realized Foley undoubtedly had a target on his back the size of Texas.

"O.K. Clint. I'll get the federal prosecutor in here. Let's get a deal hammered out."

Lindsey, Damon and Elijah got back into the courtroom and seated themselves. Finn and the federal prosecutor came in, then Foley and Fitzhugh. They stood as the judge came in and when all were seated, the judge called the courtroom to order.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, and to our spectators, during our recess, the defendant, Clinton Marshall Foley IV, with the advice of counsel, opted to change his plea to guilty on all counts. Our federal prosecutor, Mark Harrison, and the Commonwealth prosecutor, Finn Mikaelson, have agreed to the plea, and Foley will serve 35 years on each count of kidnapping, which sentences will run concurrently. He will be transported to the United States Penitentiary, Lee, here in Virginia, to serve out his sentence. I thank each of you on the jury for your service. Court is dismissed." He banged his gavel and exited the courtroom.

Damon, Lindsey and Elijah looked at each other, incredulously, and then over to the defense table where two federal agents were taking Foley into custody.

"Oh, my God," Lindsey said. "He went ahead and took the deal."

"You made an impression on him, apparently," Damon said. "But you were right. His life would have been short and very, very painful. I can think of about fifteen vamps off the top of my head who would have been glad to take him out. Not counting me."

"Let's go. The Augustines are history. Finally. But they're done," Lindsey said. She started for the door.

"As long as one of their descendants doesn't start things up again," Damon said darkly.

"We'll be here if they do," Elijah replied.

* * *

A few weeks later, Damon told Lindsey he was going to see Foley, and gloat a little.

"Damon, don't," Lindsey pleaded. "Leave him be. He's there for the foreseeable future. His wife and kids had to move back to her parents' house because the feds seized everything he's got for victims' restitution. Stefan said people in Virginia all but spit when they say his name. He's a byword."

"All good things, but I have to do this, Lindsey. I _have_ to. I won't lay a fingernail on him, I promise."

She shook her head. "All right, but you know I don't like this. Justice has been served."

"Yeah, yeah," was all he said. "I'll only be gone a day or so. Up there and back, I promise."

"You're grown. I can't stop you."

"I'll be fine."

With a little compulsion, Damon got the guard to bring Foley to the visiting cubicles. Foley picked up the phone. "What do you want?" He was scared to death. Damon was pleased.

"How's prison?" Damon smirked.

"I don't want to talk to you," Foley snapped.

"Oooohh. Touchy. Then you'll listen." Knowing any vervain would be out of his system, Damon looked into Foley's eyes. "Scratch your left ear." He complied. So he could be compelled. Excellent.

"You had my wife abducted, you piece of shit. She was tortured and forced to service you orally. Do you know what happened to Lucius Crawford?" He nodded. "That was me. You'd better count your blessings I didn't find you in that house. You'd still be begging me to let you die. My wife is a good woman and she made me promise not to kill you. She's the only reason you're still breathing. Otherwise, I'd have told you to take the phone cord and choke yourself to death on it. Or similar. But I promised her I wouldn't. And I'd die myself before I'd intentionally break a promise to my wife. But just so you know, you're not fit to lick mud from her shoes."

Foley was starting to rock back and forth in anxiety. Damon chuckled. This was beautiful. "But I can't let you just exist in prison. No. That won't do. I need to make your life more interesting. So, enjoy this last good night's sleep. In the morning, when you get up, everything will seem normal, until you start to itch. It'll start out as a tickle, but it'll get worse as the day goes on. No scratching will relieve it, but if you don't scratch, the itch will turn to a burn. At midnight, it'll stop, and at sunrise, will start again. You'll think every day it won't start again, but it will. The doctors won't be able to stop it." Another diabolical thought occurred to Damon. He knew Foley prided himself on being a ladies' man, and one who hated gays.

"The only thing that's gonna relieve the itching is having sex. With a man." He smirked again at the shocked knowledge on Foley's face. "You'll crawl to one of these big guys and beg to be his bitch, just to keep from itching. It's gonna be that bad. The only thing is how long you'll hold out before you actually do it. A week? Two weeks? Who knows? You won't remember me coming here, but you'll know how to get rid of the itching. Now hang up like a good little bitch and sleep tight!" Foley hung up and walked out of the meeting area.

Damon walked back to his car, chuckling. He drove back to Alabama, whistling and humming all the way. He didn't get everything he wanted, but the idea of Foley being in such misery for the rest of his days was a pleasant one. He would probably eventually have to tell Lindsey what he did, but he'd avoid it as long as he could. He did call Stefan and Elijah to tell them. They thought it extremely appropriate.

* * *

When Damon got home, Lindsey knew he had done something fairly awful, mostly because he wouldn't tell her what it was. She tried worming it out of Stefan, but he wouldn't say, and since he didn't tell Caroline, that pipeline was closed, too. All Stefan said was that Damon left Foley alive, in one piece, and without a mark on him. She figured Damon would tell her when he thought he wouldn't get a lecture. Depending on what he did, she had a mild, moderate, or give-him-hell version prepared when he finally did 'fess up.

The good news was, with close state and federal supervision and with no money coming in, the Brotherhood of the Sun was completely dismantled. More ethics charges followed, and more criminal trials for accessory to kidnapping. The legal scandals would certainly rage in Virginia for some time to come. But in Alabama, peace reigned.

* * *

 **March 2018**

"Hey, Dana. What's going on?" Lindsey answered her phone.

The social worker heaved a long sigh. "You remember Joshua, the baby you took care of last spring?"

"Of course. Is he all right?"

"Yes and no. He was returned to his mother in October. We didn't know she was pregnant again. Well, she left her newborn and Joshua at the Blount County General Hospital ER and she's gone again. No idea where she is. Can you take both of them?"

Lindsey wanted to cry. It wasn't right for this to happen to children. "Of course. Bring them over. I'll tell Damon and we'll get everything ready."

"Thanks so much," Dana said. "I'm so glad we can always count on you and Damon. You guys are such a blessing."

"We're glad to do it. I'm just sorry for the necessity of it."

"Me too."

When the children arrived the next day, as always Lindsey and Damon had the room ready for them. She couldn't believe Joshua was already walking and saying a few words. His little sister was just a few days old, and like her brother, had no name. Lindsey meditated on paying a visit to that "mother" if she ever located her. No one should have to live like these children. But it wasn't long before Joshua and little Ruth Marie (after Lindsey's mother) were fed, safely in cribs and sleeping soundly. Lindsey knew Damon was ready to go find the mother and wreak havoc. She sympathized.

Dana didn't usually stay long after the paperwork was signed, but she lingered today. "Can I talk to you guys?"

"Sure," Lindsey answered. "Let's go into the front room."

When they were seated, Dana said, "Look. You guys are some of the best emergency foster parents we've got. But we're going to have to revoke parental rights for this mother, and you know that means these babies go into the system until and unless, we find an adoptive family. You and Damon have met all the requirements to qualify as adoptive parents. I know it's a lot to ask, and you'll need time to think about it, but would you consider being Joshua's and Ruth's long-term foster parents, on the way to adopting them? You don't have to give me answer now. Just say you'll think about it."

Damon and Lindsey looked at each other in disbelief. Damon knew this was an answer to Lindsey's prayers - when she was human. But what now? So, he smiled at Dana. "Of course, we'll think about it," he answered, and squeezed Lindsey's hand. He could feel it trembling.

* * *

 **And now? Reviews, pretty please?**


End file.
